The U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources is scheduled to hold a hearing March 18 on the issue of Restoring Abandoned Mine Lands, Local Economies and the Environment starting at Noon.

Among other presenters will be Robert Hughes, Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation who will discuss reasons why the Reauthorization of the Abandoned Mine Land Trust Fund is so important and needs to be extended this year.

He will be describing how coalfield communities are in need of reclamation, watershed restoration, cleanup of polluted waterways, and economic development that will bring living wage jobs to these areas to improve the quality of life in these regions.

Click Here to watch live via Facebook.

Bipartisan Bills

The hearing follows on the heals of a March 10 announcement by Pennsylvania members of Congress Matt Cartwright (D) and Glenn Thompson (R) they introduced two pieces of legislation to reauthorize and accelerate federal funding to reclaim abandoned mine lands in Pennsylvania and across America.  Read more here.

One of several critical issues their legislation addresses is the need to reauthorize the federal Abandoned Mine Land Trust fund which is the major source of funding to cleanup Pennsylvania’s 287,000 acres of abandoned mine land at over 5,500 miles of streams polluted by mine drainage.  Read more here.

More Information

The Pennsylvania AML Campaign, a coalition of conservation districts, watershed groups, and other local nonprofit groups also support reauthorization of the AML fee collection.

Visit the Our Work’s Not Done website supported by states involved in the federal abandoned mine reclamation program, including Pennsylvania.

Related Article This Week:

-- PA Members Of Congress Introduce Bipartisan Bills To Reclaim Abandoned Mine Lands, Create Jobs

Related Articles:

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets March 16 On Mine Reclamation Needs; Expiration Of Federal Fee Would Leave PA With No Resources To Deal With This Critical Issue

-- 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 [2019]

-- Over 100 Groups Sign Letter Urging Congressional Action On Federal Mine Reclamation Fee, Black Lung Bills

-- 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: March 13, 2021]

3/15/2021