Welcome to the EPCAMR Homepage!
Formed in 1995 by concerned conservation districts, EPCAMR represents a coalition of watershed organizations and reclamation partners. Members range from individuals to the active anthracite mining industry and co-generation power plants, to non-profit organizations, 16 county conservation districts, and other organizations in the anthracite and bituminous coal region of eastern Pennsylvania that are involved with abandoned mine reclamation issues. Counties covered by EPCAMR in Northeastern and North Central PA include: Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Dauphin, Lackawanna, Lebanon, Luzerne, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne, and Wyoming. As of the last census (2020), the population we serve equates to approximately 1.7 million people. EPCAMR develops Green Infrastructure concept plans in Wilkes-Barre
EPCAMR develops green infrastructure concept plans for green spaces in Wilkes-Barre with $49,500 grant through the National Fish Wildlife Foundation Chesapeake Bay technical capacity program
This technical assistance grant project completed the planning and conceptual designs for water quality improvement projects in nine (9) public green spaces in the City of Wilkes-Barre at no cost to the City. The projects were identified in the City of Wilkes-Barre, PA’s Green Action Plan developed and written by EPCAMR Executive Director, Bobby Hughes, in consult with the City of Wilkes-Barre Bureau of Operations, and LandStudies, Inc. in 2017. In 2018, EPCAMR submitted the grant and partnered with Clauser Environmental, LLC, and the City of Wilkes-Barre to complete the Chesapeake Bay Technical Capacity Grant. The project included the identification of green infrastructure and City greening opportunities, creating concept plans highlighting potential best management practice (BMP) locations, and the development of conceptual details for the various BMPs proposed. All of the watershed areas had also been previously mining impacted by historic anthracite deep and surface mining that have led to various environmental impacts to the land and streams. Continue reading
EPCAMR Pairs with Groasis to Provide Food Growboxxes for Youth in Coalfield Communities
EPCAMR recently received a $50,000, two year grant from Inquiring Systems, Inc. for a Groasis Growboxx© project. A Growboxx© is a biodegradable planting technology that helps plants keep consistent moisture and adds many benefits to gardening. These “intelligent buckets” increase plant survivability by 90% while simultaneously using 90% less water. These…
EPCAMR is a non-profit, non-government, non-partisan public charity dedicated to:
- Reducing health and safety hazards, eliminating soil erosion, improving water quality and endorsing the reclamation of abandoned mine lands to productive uses in the region, there by improving the economy.
- Promoting the spirit of cooperation among all parties with an interest in resolving abandoned mine drainage / abandoned mine land problems
- Serving as a liaison among the various governmental agencies (federal, state, and local), watershed associations, industry, and conservationists with a common goal of abandoned mine reclamation
- Encouraging the remining and reclamation of lands, streams, and resources impacted by mining
- Educating, informing, and involving the public with mine drainage and mine reclamation issues
- Seeking and acquiring available sources of funding for restoration, reclamation, education and assessment projects
- Providing assistance in developing watershed associations and coalitions interested in abandoned mine reclamation issues