Many of the cities and states which fostered our Industrial Revolution grew to prominence because they were situated on rich coal deposits. Coal mining, including surface mining, was common in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and throughout the Appalachian region. However, many of these mines were improperly abandoned when they stopped producing, leaving behind residual waste pits and piles of debris tailings exposed to the elements. Sulfuric Acid is created when water and air oxidize the metal sulfides in the surrounding rock or tailings of coal and metal mines. This acidic compound kills most organic life as it seeps into the ground and drains into lakes and streams. Also, since many coal mines were situated below sea level, pumps were required to remove water that accumulated in these mines when they were producing. This pumping was halted after these mines closed but the acidic water that filled many underground caverns is now migrating into our waterways. Environmentalists say the formation of sulfuric acid is unavoidable and irreversible once acid-generating rock is crushed and exposed to moisture and oxygen. This process can continue for thousands of years until the sulfide minerals in the rock are exhausted. Roman-era mines have been discovered which are still producing acid drainage.

The 2001 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act authorized $11.293 billion for the Dept of the Interior’s Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund. Reclamation is the combined process by which adverse environmental effects of surface mining are minimized and mined lands are returned to a beneficial end use. End uses may be open space, wildlife habitat, agriculture, or residential and commercial development.

Proposed Legislation: Reintroduction of H.R.1733 - Revitalizing the Economy of Coal Communities by Leveraging Local Activities and Investing More Act of 2021, or the RECLAIM Act of 2021
Prospective Sponsor: Rep. Mike Quigley (IL)

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