The Department of Environmental Protection announced this week it was increasing the funds available to the Remining Financial Guarantee Program that provides lower-cost bonds to coal operators who remine and then reclaim abandoned mines.

Since 1996 the Guarantee program has helped finance the reclamation of 2,117 acres saving Commonwealth taxpayers about $12.7 million in reclamation cots. Over 100 coal operators have used the program.

DEP has now increased funding for the Program from $800,000 to $1 million and increased the limit per operator to $300,000 and per permit to $100,000.

For more information, visit the Reclaim PA webpage.

2/10/2006