August 20, 2012 – The EPCAMR Board of Trustees awarded $5,000 in mini-grants to four regional watershed groups at its annual meeting, held on August 16, 2012. These grants will assist with the cost of operation, maintenance, and repairs of abandoned mine drainage (AMD) treatment systems and abandoned mine land (AML) reclamation efforts throughout the Anthracite Coal Fields of Pennsylvania. ARIPPA provided EPCAMR and sister coalition, WPCAMR, with a total of $10,000 this year to fund projects that support AML reclamation and AMD remediation across Pennsylvania.
The following four watershed groups were selected:
Loyalsock Creek Watershed Association ($2,500): For the purchase of 110 tons of limestone to treat AMD seeps on the White Ash Land Association property, known as “WALA Lake,” which drains into Pigeon Creek, a tributary of Loyalsock Creek, near Lopez, Pennsylvania
Babb Creek Watershed Association ($1,000): To pay for labor and installation of 50% of the electrical equipment to power the Antrim AMD Micro-Hydro Turbine Treatment System, owned by the Antrim Treatment Trust; the system treats 2 billion gallons of AMD discharge per year, is operated by the Babb Creek Watershed Association, and is overseen by the PA DEP Moshannon District Mining Office
Eastern Middle Anthracite Region Recovery, Inc. ($1,000): To pay for 50% of an electrician’s labor to test and verify all control components as well as replace limit switches of electrical equipment that powers the Audenreid AMD Micro-Hydro Turbine Treatment System, operated by the Eastern Middle Anthracite Region Recovery, Inc., Schuylkill Conservation District, and Catawissa Creek Restoration Association
Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance ($500): To pay for the removal of sediment on a haul road near Pond 2 at the Carbon Run Site #42 AMD Treatment System in the Shamokin Creek Watershed
