About the Session

The Pennsylvania Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Campaign is a loosely organized group of organizations and individuals advocating for policies and programs that benefit the coal-impacted communities of Pennsylvania and beyond. PA AML Campaign participants include local, regional, state-wide, and national non-profit organizations, county conservation districts, and trade associations.  Campaign advisors include state and national agencies, associations, and commissions. Over the years, Pennsylvania has witnessed numerous successes in abandoned mine reclamation. Much of the funding for that reclamation originated from fees on present-day coal mining through the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMCRA).   Pennsylvania's AML Program has operated since 1980 and has reclaimed thousands of dangerous sites left by abandoned coal mines. Over 10 billion gallons of abandoned mine drainage (AMD) is abated annually resulting in increased safety and improved environment for the citizens of Pennsylvania. To a great extent, Pennsylvania's success in reclaiming abandoned mines is due to cooperation between the state's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), many of which are members of the PA AML Campaign.  Over 300 Abandoned Mine Drainage Treatment Systems have been constructed across the state by NGOs.  When SMCRA was set to expire in 2006, the PA AML Campaign was instrumental in bringing about the reauthorization.  With SMCRA's fee collection authority set to expire again in 2021, the PA AML Campaign is partnering with state and tribal agencies across the nation to advocate for another reauthorization. This presentation will highlight the PA AML Campaign's advocacy for the reauthorization of SMCRA as a model for cooperation among NGOs and government agencies.

Tracks:

• Cultural and Historical Resources
• Role of Government in Environmental Improvement
• Public Involvement 
• Water Resources 

About the Speaker

Anne Daymut Watershed Coordinator Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation Anne has been involved in Pennsylvania’s watershed community and advocating for abandoned mine reclamation programs and policies for nearly 20 years. Anne has worked for the Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, a non-profit serving the abandoned coal-impacted communities of Pennsylvania’s Bituminous region since 2010. She has participated in every aspect of abandoned mine reclamation including grant writing and administration, project development and design, and construction oversight. Anne lives in the U.S. congressional district that has the most abandoned coal mine sites of any district in the nation. She has a BS in Environmental Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a MS in Environmental Management from Duquesne University.

Back to Top

Return to Program