Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund

On Thursday, May 26th, Pennsylvania Congressman John E. Peterson (PA-5th district) introduced legislation "To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to reauthorize collection of reclamation fees, revise the abandoned mine reclamation program, promote remining, authorize the Office of Surface Mining to collect the black lung excise tax, and make sundry other changes." And, yes, that's the bill's official title.

Rep. Peterson's bill addresses the needs of states that still have considerable liabilities stemming from a time when coal mining was almost entirely unregulated. Pennsylvania tops the list with the most liabilities. Click here for a summary of the bill’s most important features.

For those interested in details, H.R.2721 is co-sponsored by

Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7]	Rep Davis, Lincoln [TN-4]
Rep English, Phil [PA-3]	Rep Ford, Harold E., Jr. [TN-9]
Rep Gerlach, Jim [PA-6]	Rep Gordon, Bart [TN-6]
Rep Hart, Melissa A. [PA-4]	Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17]
Rep Kanjorski, Paul E. [PA-11]	Rep Platts, Todd Russell [PA-19]
Rep Regula, Ralph [OH-16]	Rep Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [MD-2]
Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. [PA-13]	Rep Sherwood, Don [PA-10]
Rep Shuster, Bill [PA-9]	Rep Wamp, Zach [TN-3]

Whereas, the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, headwaters to the Ohio River, are named as the fifth Most Endangered River of 2004 by American Rivers; with increased pollution potential from lack of adequate mine reclamation efforts this year, expecting to threaten 42 public drinking water intakes, thousands of private wells, and fish and wildlife.

Whereas, 44 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties contain 200,000 acres of abandoned mine lands; and Pennsylvania has over 2,100 miles of streams impacted from abandoned mine drainage, making it one of the largest sources of water quality impairment in the Commonwealth; and

Whereas, substantial coal mining has occurred in Pennsylvania for over 125 years in part providing the fuel for the United States industrial revolution and for support of two World War efforts, and the industry has been a significant employer of our citizens for most of those years; and

Whereas, the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 imposed on coal operators a fee of 35 cents per ton on surface mined coal and 15 cents per ton on underground mined coal, with those fees sent to the Secretary of Interior for deposit in the Abandoned Mine Land Fund for the purpose of paying for the reclamation and remediation of lands mined prior to 1977; and

Whereas, the people in Pennsylvania have the right to safe homes, viable communities, and clean water free from abandoned mine drainage; and many jobs will be created with the increased spending of these funds, and the increased development and marketing of reclaimed "grayfields"; and

Whereas, this fund is set to expire on September 30, 2004 without its reauthorization by Congress, redirecting resources from the fund to states for water quality restoration based upon historic, not current, coal production.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the undersigned watershed association/ interested citizen supports the initiative to reclaim more old mine sites, to clean up more water resources of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and to provide more jobs for the citizens of the Commonwealth and also urges Congress through the Secretary of the Interior to reauthorize the Abandoned Mine Land Fund and to increase the obligation of monies in the Trust Fund to the state for the purposes for which they were collected.

Date: ____________

Organization:	_________________________________
Representative/Individual:	_________________________________
Address:	_________________________________
	_________________________________
Email:	_________________________________

Copy and distribute to any appropriate organizations and units of government.
When signed, please return to: Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds & Rivers, Abandoned Mine Land Resolution 2004, 610 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101-1113. We will coordinate with the Pennsylvania Environmental Council to provide these to government officials and leaders in congress. Visit www.pawatersheds.org for more information.

View a pdf version of the resolution