On May 1, the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee reported out HR 2156 (Cartwright-D- PA) RECLAIM abandoned mine reclamation initiative to accelerate spending from the federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund.

RECLAIM would support reclamation project that have the added benefit of improving the local economy.

Also approved and reported out was HR 315 which would enact a federal Good Samaritan Program to encourage watershed and community groups to to reclaim abandoned mines and restore waterways.

The program parallels a similar program Pennsylvania has had in place since 1999.

In March, Eric Cavazza, Director of DEP's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Robert Hughes, Executive Director of the Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation and Chris Wood, President & CEO of Trout Unlimited offered testimony before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources supporting these federal legislative initiatives.

They also urged reauthorization of the federal reclamation fee that supports the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund which is due to expire in 2021.

U.S. Senate

On April 30, U.S. Senator Bob Casey and others introduced the Senate version of the RECLAIM initiative to reclaim areas with potential economic benefits to communities.

NewsClips:

Luzerne County In Economic Wave, Yudichak Says - Mine Reclamation

New ATV Trail Work Part Of Mine Reclamation Project In Clinton County

Related Story:

DEP, EPCAMR, Trout Unlimited Tell U.S. House Subcommittee Hearing Reauthorizing Federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fee Critical, There’s A Lot More To Do

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Take Action!

State Budget Decisions Will Be Made Soon: New Funding Needed To Restore The Environment, Prevent Flooding, With No Backsliding

[Posted: May 3, 2019]

5/6/2019