Approximately 5.5 million Americans live within a mile of an abandoned mine site in eight Appalachian states. Nationally, 8.5 million live within a mile of an AML site. Abandoned mine lands continue to impact our rivers and streams and pose a serious risk to public health and community quality of life across Appalachia. Coalfield citizens often experience problems associated with living near and developing on AML sites including drinking water contamination, flooding, the presence of dangerous highwalls, flooded pits and mine openings.
Reclamation of abandoned mine sites has been an integral part of our organization’s work since we were founded in 1994. In the 125 square mile Indian Creek watershed there are over 130 known mine discharges which foul water, contaminate people’s private drinking water supplies, and deter tourism and economic development. Our vision is to treat the 11 worst discharges in the watershed which will result in restoration of over 95% of Indian Creek. Our analysis has shown that every dollar invested in mine drainage cleanup in the Indian Creek watershed results in a $2.40 return to the local economy in terms of recreational fishing alone. Clean water makes good economic sense, and the recently proposed RECLAIM Act promises to help expedite this vital work.
The RECLAIM Act, introduced by five representatives from Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, would free up $1 billion over next five years from the federal Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Fund to address two pressing issues relating to the decline of the coal industry—the need to retrain and create new job opportunities for unemployed miners and to accelerate cleanup of abandoned mine sites. The AML Fund was established by a tonnage fee imposed on mined coal and utilizes no taxpayer funds. The RECLAIM Act would provide $200 million per year over the next five years to states in coal country with Pennsylvania, which leads the nation in the number of abandoned mine sites, expected to receive $67 million per year. These funds are critical in ensuring adequate cleanup of the dangerous and polluting AML sites across Pennsylvania and throughout Appalachia.
The RECLAIM Act will help coal communities rebuild in a way that will be sustainable while addressing dangerous abandoned mine sites that negatively impact communities. It would also require no taxpayer dollars. It’s a win-win for coal communities and those of us living within a mile of dangerous and polluting AML sites. Please call your legislators today and ask that they support the RECLAIM Act.