On September 2, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it has received $25 million for  environmental restoration projects focused on economic development or community revitalization at abandoned mine land (AML) locations across Pennsylvania.

The funding was authorized by a 2019 AML Pilot Program by Congress for Pennsylvania’s AML Program.

The funds are to be used “to accelerate the remediation of AML sites with economic and community development end uses.” This is the fourth year that Pennsylvania has received funding from the AML Pilot Program.

The following projects were recently approved--

-- Gladden AMD Treatment Plant (Allegheny County): This is a previously approved AML Pilot Project. Supplemental funding from the 2019 AML Pilot Grant will be allocated to this project. The Gladden acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment plant will remove 690 pounds per day of iron pollution going into Millers Run and Chartiers Creek. This 1,500-gallon-per-minute treatment plant will provide clean water for an additional 7.5 miles of stream for stocking fish. Three areas of Fishing Run will also be sealed to prevent flow losses into the deep mine, decreasing operating cost of plant. The project partners include South Fayette Conservation Group and Tetratech, Inc.

-- Tour Ed Mine (Allegheny County): This project will reclaim 400 linear feet of dangerous highwall and repair some retaining walls. The project will also include the installation of fencing to provide enhanced safety for more than 9,000 annual visitors. The primary project partner is the Tour Ed Mine and Museum.

-- Bethlehem South (Armstrong County): This project will backfill 11,100 linear feet of dangerous highwall with 59 acres of associated spoil area. It will create 50 acres of agricultural field and approx. 3,000 linear feet of multi-use recreational trail. The primary project partner is the Redbank Creek Watershed Trust.

-- Kerbaugh Road Refuse Pile (Blair County): This project will reclaim a 22-acre coal refuse pile and construct 1.6 miles of multi-use recreational trail. The project will also create multi-use recreational greenspace as well as stormwater retention and rain gardens. The project partners include Antis Township, Blair County Conservation District, Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation, Allegheny Ridge Corporation, Progress Funds Trail Town Program, Interfaith Power and Light, Central Blair Recreation Commission, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources , the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Community and Economic Development .

-- Ingleside Northeast (Cambria County): This project will backfill 5,900 linear feet of dangerous highwall with 30 acres of associated spoil area. The land will be compacted and made suitable for building upon once reclamation is complete. The site access road will remain as a future road for development. Future use could include manufactured homes or a residential subdivision. The project partners include Richland Township, Cambria County, and East Hills Development Company.

-- Vintondale Pile Ghost Town Trail (Cambria County): This project will reclaim an 11-acre (310,000 tons) coal refuse area and improve water quality in 22 miles of the South Branch Blacklick Creek. The project also includes the construction of 900 linear feet of trailhead and a gravel parking lot. Project partners include Blacklick Creek Watershed Association, Indiana County Conservation District, Robindale Energy Services, Cambria County Conservation and Recreation Authority, Vintondale Borough, Minetech, and Indiana County Parks and Trails.  Read more about the Trail here.

-- Quakake AMD Treatment Plant (Carbon County): This is a previously approved AML Pilot Project. Supplemental funding from the 2019 AML Pilot Grant will be allocated to this project. This project will restore the Black Creek Watershed by actively treating the Quakake Tunnel discharge. Once the treatment plant is in operation, it will be capable of treating flows up to 10,000 gallons per minute (GPM) and will restore 8 miles of stream within the watershed. This project is being completed in conjunction with Weatherly Borough Trail AML Pilot project, which is funded by the FY2017 AML Pilot Program. That project will construct a 1-mile recreational trail from the existing Weatherly Borough building to the confluence of Quakake and Black Creeks. The project partners include Weatherly Borough, DCED, Wildlands Conservancy, and the United States Geologic Survey.

-- Fivemile Hollow (Clinton County): The Fivemile Hollow Project will reclaim 10,850 feet of dangerous highwall in Leidy Township, Clinton County with associated spoil material. In total, 74 acres of Sproul State Forest property will be reclaimed. The site is located on public land that is designated for off-road recreational vehicle use. A mine drainage source remediation plan aimed at reducing AMD pollution originating from the site, and the subsequent stream degradation of the Hauling Branch of Twomile Run, Twomile Run, and Kettle Creek will also be implemented as part of the project. The primary project partner is DCNR.

-- Full Gospel Church (Fayette County): This project will reclaim 20.5 acres of AML on DCNR property in Ohiopyle State Park. Once reclamation is completed, the temporary construction access will be converted into a permanent access, and a small parking area will be constructed including a gate to prevent vehicular access into the project area. Further development of game plots (by DCNR) in the area of this project will allow for future access to this site by both local and visiting outdoor enthusiasts. The primary project partner is DCNR.

-- Tioga River - Morris Run AMD Treatment Plant (Tioga County): This is a previously approved AML Pilot Project. Supplemental funding from the 2019 AML Pilot Grant will be allocated to this project. The proposed project will collect AMD from four major discharges, convey the combined flows via directional boreholes and gravity pipelines to a centralized active AMD treatment plant. The plant will be capable of treating up to 6,000 GPM of AMD and will restore 18 miles of the Tioga River, two miles of its tributaries, and improve water quality within the US Army Corps of Engineer’s Tioga/Hammond Dam Complex. The project partners include the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, DCNR, Tioga County Concerned Citizens Committee, Tioga County Conservation District, Hamilton Township, and Blossburg Municipal Authority.

-- Powdermill Nature Reserve (Westmoreland County): This project includes the rehabilitation of two passive AMD systems treating 60 GPM to improve 1.5 miles of Laurel Run. The project also includes educational trail construction with more than a mile of new and rehabilitated trails with three viewing platforms and trail signage. The project partners include Carnegie Institute, Loyalhanna Watershed Association and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

For more information on this program, visit DEP’s Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program webpage.

Related Articles:

-- Ehrenfeld Abandoned Mine Reclamation Project In Cambria County Wins National Recognition; Renewal Of Federal Reclamation Fee Needed Now

-- Op-Ed: Federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Trust Fund Can Be Reauthorized - John Oliver & R. John Dawes

-- EPCAMR/Lackawanna River Conservation Assn. Each Receive $50,000 EPA/NFWF Grants To Cleanup Area Waterways

[Posted: Sept. 2, 2020]

9/7/2020