Abandoned Mine Lands
Unregulated coal mining scarred the landscape of Appalachian Coal Country -- leaving behind dangerous high walls, devestating landslides, mine fires, refuse piles, and toxics-laden mine drainage that seeps into our streams and rivers. State and Federal Agencies, along with hundreds of dedicated grassroots watershed groups, are working together to address abandoned mine lands issues.
Are there policies and legislation that affect the reclaiming of abandoned mine lands? You bet. And this site is dedicated to keeping you informed and updated about changes in legislation that have an impact on your watershed clean-up work. Let us know if there are other tools or resources that your watershed group needs in order to understand or use abandoned mine lands legislation.
Now What? How will this impact watershed associations?
Highlights of Abandoned Mine Lands funding. What is included in the SMCRA Amendments Act of 2006? What is at stake? How do these changes relate to water quality? Also check out this chart comparing the 1977 SMCRA and the 2006 ammendments.
Confused? Check out these Frequently Asked Questions prepared by the Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation.
MAP created by the U.S. Department of Interior Office of Surface Mining (OSM) demonstrating the overlap between abandoned mine land sites and economically distressed counties.







