On June 19, Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Minority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny) asked their colleagues in the House and Senate to co-sponsor resolutions urging Congress to reauthorize the federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program and the fees supporting it.

Sen. Yudichak and Rep. Frankel said in their memos to colleagues--

“For well over 100 years, Pennsylvania has helped fuel the nation with its deep reserves of coal beneath our feet. Now, the Commonwealth bears the scars from the mining efforts that changed its landscape. At least 44 of the state’s 67 counties now grapple with the remains of abandoned mines.

‘Pennsylvania’s abandoned coal mines can be environmentally hazardous, physically dangerous and economically damaging to communities that are already struggling to meet the needs if their residents.

“This resolution urges the Congress of the United States to reauthorize the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund (AMRF), which is scheduled to sunset in 2021. The AMRF has been instrumental in providing the resources to help states reclaim and restore abandoned mine lands.”

Click Here for a copy of Sen. Yudichak’s memo.  Click Here for a copy of Rep. Frankel’s memo.

NewsClip:

Cong. Cartwright Touts Legislation To Speed Up Mine Land Reclamation Funding

Related Articles This Week:

DEP: Federal Fee Due To Expire In 2021 That Is The Only Source Of Funds To Address $3.9 Billion In High-Priority AML Problems [PaEN]

PA Council Of Trout Unlimited Urges PA Congressional Delegation To Reauthorize Federal Mine Reclamation Fee, Program

Federal Office Of Surface Mining Reclamation Offering Acid Mine Drainage Treatment Grants To Not-For Profit Groups [PaEN]

PEC Blog: Dirtying The Dibble Bars - Nearly 65,000 Native Tree Seedlings Planted This Season [PaEN]

June Catalyst Newsletter Now Available From Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition [PaEN]

Related Articles:

EPCAMR, WPCAMR Urging Local Governments, Watershed, Environmental Groups To Tell Congress To Reauthorize Federal Mine Reclamation Fee

Op-Ed: EPCAMR Urges Every Member Of PA’s Congressional Delegation To Support The RECLAIM Act To Reclaim Abandoned Mine Lands And Our Economic Future

U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Reports Out RECLAIM, Good Samaritan Mine Reclamation Initiatives; Senate Version Introduced

PA Congressmen Introduce Bipartisan RECLAIM Initiative To Invest In Environmental, Economic Recovery In Coal Country

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

[Posted: June 21, 2019]

6/23/2019