Abandoned Mine Posts

by Andy McAllister, Watershed Coordinator

WPCAMR is pleased to report that Joe Pizarchik, Director of the PA DEP’s Bureau of Mining and Reclamation was confirmed by the US Senate last week to be the Director of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining (OSM). Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said, “Joe Pizarchik is a dedicated public servant whose experience in coal production will be invaluable as Director of Office of Surface Mining. I welcome his energy and insight on our policy team to balance the nation’s need for continued domestic coal production with protection of the environment.”

WPCAMR is grateful for the outpouring of support from our readership in response to our August 2009 Abandoned Mine Post (AMP) article supporting Joe. Undoubtedly, your letters to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (the committee that was responsible for moving Joe’s nomination to the full Senate for a vote) helped those committee members get a clearer picture of Joe’s accomplishments while at the DEP. WPCAMR is confident that Joe will serve our country well as Director of OSM and we offer Joe our heartfelt congratulations!

by Andy McAllister, Watershed Coordinator

There’s good news to report!  Your letters and emails to our federal legislators have worked.  The specific language that allows the Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program (WCAP) funds to be used as match for other federal programs was re-inserted into the FY10 Federal Appropriations Bill.  That bill was passed by the US House of Representatives and subsequently, by the US Senate just last week.  The bill is now on its way to the White House and, barring any unforseen problems, it will be signed by the President.

For 10 years, WCAP, a source of funding for Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) projects provided though the U.S. Office of Surface Mining (OSM), has provided valuable complimentary funds for non-profits doing water treatment projects to clean up AMD. By only being available to non-profits groups, typically local watershed groups, WCAP ensures locally driven stakeholder supported projects that leverage additional monies from other federal programs. WCAP funds are made possible through the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) and the annual Federal Appropriations Bill is part of the mechanism by which WCAP gets funded.

In the past, Federal Appropriations Bills contained language which expressly stated that WCAP funds could be used as matching funds for any other federal grant source however, in recent years, that hasn’t been the case. Recent Appropriations Bills did not include the explicit language necessary to allow this match.   In early 2009, the Eastern Coal Regional Roundtable (ECRR), WPCAMR, and other environmental organizations in the eastern coal fields called for your help to urge our federal legislators to re-insert the missing language into the next Federal Appropriations Bill.  It is your response to that call for action that alerted our legislators to the problem and the importance of the WCAP program.

To find out more about how OSM’s Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program can help you with your next Abandoned Mine Reclamation project or to apply, contact your regional OSM office or click here to view the WCAP application process in the Federal Assistance Manual.

by Andy McAllister, Watershed Coordinator

WPCAMR is happy to report that the decision makers in Harrisburg have affirmed the value of the Watershed Specialist program by renewing funding for the Watershed Specialist contracts from 2010 through June of 2012.  We are grateful for this news, especially considering all of the financial difficulties and budget cutbacks faced by our State today. We’re also grateful for the outpouring of support given to the Watershed Specialist program by individuals and organizations within the watershed community as a result of WPCAMR’s Watershed Specialist advocacy campaign. It is the letters and emails in response to our call for action that, in part, gave the supporters of the program within the DEP the ammunition they needed to press for continued funding. The amount of support from you, our readership, and from within DEP is a testament to the value of the Watershed Specialist program.

Without a doubt, this announcment from DEP is certainly good news for the watershed community and the Watershed Specialists in particular. However, after we’ve all breathed that collective sigh of relief, we must remember this isn’t a permanent solution, it’s merely a reprieve. Without a permanent funding source in place, the future of the Watershed Specialist program is precarious. With that in mind, WPCAMR will continue to work with members of our watershed community, the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD), and other partners in advocating for permanent funding for the Watershed Specialist program. Look for more articles about our Watershed Specialists in future editions of Abandoned Mine Posts.