A New Bureau…A New Mission

Moving forward in Abandoned Mine Drainage Remediation

Pennsylvania Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference

Aug. 9, 2013

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AMD: A Leading Cause of Impairment

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AMD: A Leading Cause of Impairment

• Stream miles assessed – 84,571• Stream miles impaired by AMD – 5,517• Mostly due to pH and metals• Second only to agriculture as the leading

cause of impairment

AMD: A Leading Cause of Impairment

• Reauthorization of SMCRA with 30 percent set-aside

• Growing Greener (GG) established• Two new active treatment systems

(Lancashire and Hollywood)

Progress

• More than 300 passive systems installed• 2,182 miles of streams previously impaired by

AMD are no longer impaired• West Branch Initiative• New Bureau of Conservation and Restoration

(BCR)

Progress

• Finalize Set-Aside Guidelines• New Active Plants: Wherum (development)

and Cresson (design)• Completion of New QHU Plans (Clearfield,

Sugar, Little Conemaugh, Hazle, Schuylkill sub-basin and Bennett Branch)

Bureau Priorities

• System rehabs and upgrades: (Marsolino, Brandy Camp, Oven Run B, Joller, Rausch Creek, Ravine, Loyalsock and Falls Creek)

• Review, scoring and oversight of new GG and Set-Aside projects

• Operate existing active treatment systems

Bureau Priorities

• Growing Greener– Waste tipping fees and Oil and Gas fees– $18 million available for project implementation

(approximately 15 percent available for AMD projects)

– Solicitation ends Aug. 16

AMD Funding

• Set-Aside Program: – 30 percent of Federal Office of Surface Mining grant

($15.9 million)– Must be expended in a QHU or on QHU activities– $2 million available to grantee’s through GG– Set-aside program and treatment system operations

AMD Funding

• Federal 319 Program– Federal Nonpoint Source Implementation Grant– Projects solicited through GG for use in 36 WIP-

approved watersheds– ½ are AMD watersheds– $3.2 million available for implementation of

projects

AMD Funding

• Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA)– Act 13 provided a portion of Oil and Gas fees for

project implementation including AMD and AMLs– $29 million available over multiple programs and

agencies– Non-profit and for-profit eligibility (non-O&G

producer)

AMD Funding

• CFA– $1 million cap– Trust funds for long-term O&M are eligible (65

percent of project cost)– $100 application fee– Annual grant rounds (just ended July 31)– Over a dozen AMD applications received

AMD Funding

Glenn H. Rider II, Director BCRgrider@pa.gov

Pamela Milavec, Chief Watershed Restoration Divisionpmilavec@pa.gov

or http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/watershed_management/10593web