Members of the PA AML Coalition say Congress still has time to reauthorize the fees necessary to finance the federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund before it adjourns for the year.

“The current S. 2616 represents an historic consensus with conservation interests, the coal industry, United Mine Workers Association, eastern and western coal producing states all supporting the legislation,” said John Dawes, Chair of the Coalition. “In addition this legislation is not a tax on the citizens. It is a self supporting program. It provides for a continuation of the fee paid by the coal producer that under this new legislation will actually be reduced over the 15-year life of the reauthorization.”

The proposed bipartisan legislation would bring $1.4 billion to Pennsylvania to reclaim 184,000 acres of abandoned mine lands that pose significant safety and environmental hazards.

Pennsylvania has over 4,600 miles of biologically dead stream miles and an average of 26 citizens die each year in the country as a result of unreclaimed mine openings, highwalls and flooded pits. This number is more than the number that die in underground mining accidents.

The federal AML Fund was created by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act in 1977 and was modeled after surface mine laws enacted in Pennsylvania.

The fee supporting the Fund actually expired two years ago, but has been extended twice and currently will expire on September 30, 2007.

Currently the AML Fund is attached to tax extenders legislation that is generally regarded as non-controversial and is essential to the nation's business. However, the AML Fund must remain attached to this legislation, which did not happen in August, and come to the Senate for a vote in a very short window of opportunity that is far from a sure thing.

“There simply is no excuse for Congress not to find a method to pass the AML legislation in this current Congressional session and no excuse for the Congressmen and women and Senators not to use their ability to make that happen regardless of the election outcomes,” said Dawes. “It is time for the clear message of local citizens to be translated into action by their elected representatives who are after all, supposed to represent their interests. Anything short of that will provide a disservice to citizens and the environment.”

Link: Groups Rally to Support Mine Reclamation Funding

Video Blog: John Dawes Talks About AML Fee Reauthorization

12/1/2006