There was no agreement on how to extend and allocate funding from the Federal Abandoned Mine Land Fund in the waning days of Congress before its summer recess, so they decided to extend the existing arrangements through June 2006.

Discussions between eastern and western states over how to allocate funding for abandoned mine reclamation were going on all week without result.

Congressman John Peterson (R-PA) had introduced legislation earlier this year to revised the allocation formula to provide funding to states with the most abandoned mine lands and safety hazards.

NewsClip: Abandoned Mine Land Cleanup Law to be Extended

Abandoned Mine Legislation Stalls

Spending Bill Would Extend Mine Cleanup

7/29/2005