State investing $244M in mine reclamation

Pennsylvania has received $725 million from the federal Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act for abandoned mine cleanup.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation will use $244 million for projects to clean up abandoned mine lands.

Projects include treating abandoned mine drainage that effect streams and rivers, removing waste piles, preventing and treating mine subsidence underneath homes and business, and re-grading dangerous highwalls that can result in loose dirt, trees, and other hazards.

Pennsylvania needs approximately $5 billion for reclamation and stream restoration. Statewide, there are more than 7,000 streams impacted by acid mine drainage, and millions of structures are located on top of abandoned underground coal and clay mines.

“Legacy pollution continues to impact far too many communities across the nation. Through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we are making once-in-a-generation investments to clean up environmental hazards that have harmed coal communities for far too long,” U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said. “Reclaiming and restoring these sites will create jobs, revitalize economic activity, and advance outdoor recreation across the country as we work to clean up these public safety hazards and build healthier communities.”

State officials announced the funding in Bovard. A project there is underway to stabilize a neighborhood at risk from an abandoned mine.