11/18/24 - 107 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/3zb7jppr
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Obama Administration Plans To Cut Mining Administration, Emergency Projects Funding
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Joseph Pizarchik, Director of the federal Office of Surface Mining, testified before the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources March 4 and outlined how the Obama Administration's proposed budget will cut federal Title V support to state mining permit programs and require states to take over emergency projects funding.
Nationwide, OSM proposed to cut administrative support grants to states by $11.5 million from a total appropriation of $60.3 million. "States are encouraged to offset the decrease in Federal funding by increasing costs recovery fees from the coal industry," Pizarchik said.
In addition, OSM said because states were getting more money for abandoned mine reclamation, OSM proposed states take over all responsibility for emergency projects funding. Emergency projects include filling in holes created by abandoned underground mines and other emergencies which have been funded by the federal government since the program began in 1977.
These cuts represent another decrease in support for the Department of Environmental Protection which last year and again this year have see state General Fund cuts of 26 percent. A copy of the OSM testimony is available online.
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3/29/2010 |
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