There are just three town hall meetings left to discuss how to effectively use the up to 30 percent of new federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation funds available to the state. The meetings are sponsored by the Department of Environmental Protection, in conjunction with the DEP Citizens Advisory Council and the Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board.

Five town meetings have already been held and DEP has has posted summaries of each meetings to capture comments being offered.

The new law reauthorization provides for a significant increase in funds available to the Commonwealth for abandoned mine reclamation. It also offers the Commonwealth the opportunity to set aside up to 30 percent of these funds for abatement and treatment of abandoned mine drainage.

The intent of the meetings is to enable the public to provide input to help in the decision-making process for expenditure of these funds. The decision to set aside funds for mine drainage abatement and treatment, and the appropriate level, must be weighed against the need to restore sites that impact the health and safety of the Commonwealth’s citizens.

DEP is also accepting written comments at the following address: Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Attn.: AML Comments, P.O. Box 8476, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8476.

The remaining meetings will be held on the following dates in the following locations:

· June 5 - Jennings Environmental Center, Slippery Rock;

· June 6 - California University of PA, Morgan Hall, California; and

· June 7 - Penn State University, Dubois Campus, Hiller Auditorium, Dubois.

The agenda for the meetings will be:

· 4:00 - 5:30 PM - Educational videos and overview of recent legislative changes;

· 5:30 - 6:30 PM - Opportunity for the public to review PA’s Abandoned Mine Land inventory and maps (poster session); and

· 6:30 - 8:30 PM - Town hall meeting

For more information contact: Sue Wilson, Citizens Advisory Council at 717-787-4527 or e-mail suswilson@state.pa.us ; Rich Joyce, DEP BAMR Harrisburg at 717-787-7669 or e-mail rijoyce@state.pa.us ; Pam Milavec, DEP BAMR Cambria District Office at 814-472-1800 or e-mail pmilavec@state.pa.us ; or Mike Ferko, DEP BAMR Wilkes-Barre District Office at 570-826-2371 or e-mail mferko@state.pa.us .

For more information and directions, visit the Town Hall meetings webpage.

NewsClips: Mine Damage Main Focus of Town Hall Meeting

DEP Asks Public to Weigh in On Mine Funds

6/1/2007