FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Amanda Pankau, apankau@prairierivers.org, (217) 840-3057
Trey Pollard, trey@pollardcommunications.com, (202) 904-9187
Community Advocates in Illinois Applaud New Investments in Abandoned Mine Clean-up,
Push for Solution to Tackle Acid Mine Drainage Crisis
Biden administration announces $75.7 million in Illinois to reclaim abandoned mines,
but STREAM Act is needed to ensure comprehensive solutions.
ILLINOIS — Today, the Biden-Harris administration announced the release of $75.7 million in funds for abandoned mine land (AML) clean up in Illinois. The funding comes from the new bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed by President Joe Biden last year. This new investment represents a major victory for advocates from coal communities who have been fighting for years to spur economic development in the places they live and work through coal mine reclamation.
“The infrastructure bill is the largest ever investment in abandoned mine land clean up, and we are incredibly excited to see this funding come through for Illinois communities,” said Amanda Pankau, Senior Energy Campaign Coordinator, Prairie Rivers Network. “These important investments will help Illinois address the AML pollution that has been devastating Illinois land, water, and communities for decades.”
Overall, the bipartisan infrastructure law reauthorized the recently expired funding mechanism (a per ton fee on mined coal) for the AML Reclamation Program trust fund and also secured an additional $11.3 billion into the program over the next 15 years. This year, $725 million will be distributed to 22 states and the Navajo Nation. This level of AML funding represents a massive increase compared to the current annual distribution for AML reclamation and restoration. Just over $6 billion in total grant distributions have been made from the AML program in the last 40 years.
“The historical benefit of coal is undeniable, southern Illinoisans built the economy on coal, yet it has not come without some legacy costs,” said City of Marion Mayor, Mike Absher. “Abandoned Mine Lands are sites that were mined before 1977 when reclamation laws didn’t exist. The additional Illinois funding for AMLs will put people to work reclaiming older mine land so that new industries can use these lands for economic benefit for the new opportunities in our future.”
The bipartisan infrastructure law does not contain the longstanding provision in the AML program that ensures this new funding can be put in the set-aside accounts needed for the long-term treatment of acid mine drainage. Acid mine drainage disrupts aquatic ecosystems, undermines recreational potential, and can increase water treatment costs. Because acid mine drainage pollution is perpetual, remediation requires long-term funding. Under the existing Abandoned Mine Lands Program, states and tribes can set aside up to 30% of their AML allocations for such funding mechanisms. The bipartisan infrastructure law does not allow such set-asides. Legislation introduced in Congress, the STREAM Act, is the legislative fix necessary to allow these important long-term investments. The popular bipartisan bill passed the U.S. House on a 391-9 vote this summer, and awaits action in the U.S. Senate.
“Acid mine drainage on reclaimed and unreclaimed AML remains a problem around the City of Gillespie in Macoupin County,” said Dan Fisher, President of Grow Gillespie and City Treasurer. “Our community is thrilled that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will allow states and tribes with abandoned mines to revitalize lands and waters that have been devastated by coal pollution, but we need to pass the STREAM Act to make sure states have the freedom to spend this money on long-term treatment of acid mine drainage.”
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