George Ellis, Executive Director of ARIPPA, sent us a note along with the donation stating, “Your passion and dedication to reclaiming and redeveloping lands and streams affected by historic mining practices is admirable and truly makes a significant impact on PA’s environment. Accordingly, ARIPPA is proud to contribute to your AML/AMD efforts by making a monetary donation in the amount of $2500. While it is a relatively small amount, we hope that it will make a difference in the environmental remediation work that you continue to perform. We genuinely appreciate your continuous support and look forward to working with you in the years to come”.

This year, EPCAMR has selected the following recipients for the AML/AMD Mini-Grant Program.

Newport Township CrimeWatch Organization–$500 towards hauling, proper electronics waste disposal, dumpster, and cleanup supplies for a planned 2017 Spring Cleanup (between April and May 2017), on an abandoned mine land area in Newport Township, Luzerne County, PA where up to 40 tires will be removed and 10-12,000 pounds of illegally dumped trash, discarded furniture, construction waste, and household wastes will be removed, in partnership with Newport Township, Newport Township Community Organization, Greater Nanticoke Area Community Garden, Newport Township Police Department, Nanticoke Conservation Club, EPCAMR, and the Spooky Off-Road Club. 50 volunteers are expected to participate. EPCAMR will administer the grant on behalf of the NTCO.

Illegal dumping in Newport Township.

Mehoopany Creek Watershed Association–$800 towards the purchase of lime to be placed on food plots on State Game Lands #57, adjacent to the Mehoopany Creek, Wyoming County, PA  in partnership with the Whitetails Unlimited, PA Game Commission, who will be donating machinery to spread the lime, and EPCAMR. During rain events, lime will eventually reach the stream, having already benefited the food plots, and will increase the pH of the acid mine water entering the watershed. The liming will occur in the Fall of 2016.

Lime pile

Luzerne Conservation District–$700 towards a pressure transducer that will be installed at the Plainsville AMD Borehole in Plains Township, Luzerne County, PA to obtain real-time data that will allow for the Luzerne Conservation District, Plains Township, EPCAMR, and the landowner, Mr. Greg Price, to gain a better understanding of the actual flows, chemical loadings of iron and other trace metals reaching the Susquehanna River, and to help learn more about the underground mine pool complex in that area of the Wyoming Valley. EPCAMR and the Luzerne Conservation District will be taking the lead on the monitoring of the Plainsville AMD Borehole discharge and have developed a feasibility study that they are going to be submitting for grants to perform the necessary background data collection to begin looking at AMD Treatment options and finding ways to improve the water quality of the Susquehanna River.

Plainsville AMD Borehole

EPCAMR–$500 towards the cost of hauling trash to the landfill to cover the tipping fees and for supplies to assist with the third cleanup of Centralia on September 24, 2016, led by EPCAMR Staff, former and current residents of Centralia, Pagnotti Enterprises, Centralia Hose Company No. 1, Wicked Jeeps of Central PA, Joe Sapienza, II, and nearly two dozen other contributors of funds to support the annual cleanup on the abandoned mine lands, roads, and streets throughout the Borough. Dozens of volunteers are expected to turnout at the annual event. Sexy Pig BBQ will be providing lunches for the volunteers. TARGET donated funds towards the cleanup. Community Aid donated funds towards the cleanup and will be picking up any donated clothes that volunteers would like to bring to the event. See the event details here. To donate towards the cleanup, go to EPCAMR’s “Cleanup Centralia for Centralians, Past and Present!” GiveGab Online Campaign!

The post EPCAMR Awards 4 Mini-Grants for 2016 Thanks to $2500 ARIPPA Donation appeared first on epcamr.org.

Stormwater Pipe along S. Main Street entering Nockley’s Tributary

Limestone sand dosing of Stony Brook in 2011 in the Mehoopany Creek Watershed

Tons of trash illegally dumped at the foot of the Avondale Mine Disaster Site in Plymouth Township along the Susquehanna Warrior Trail

Old Forge AMD Borehole entering the Lackawanna River

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Organized in 1988, ARIPPA is a non-profit trade association based in Camp Hill PA. Membership is located in both the Anthracite and Bituminous Regions of Pennsylvania and comprised of:

• Independent electric generating plants producing alternative energy and/or steam from coal refuse and
• Businesses associated with the coal refuse – to -alternative energy industry.

Accordingly, ARIPPA is organized to:

• advance the alternative energy electric power production industry,
• encourage education about the generation of alternative energy and related industries,
• promote the environmentally responsible production of electric power,
• promote the utilization of alternative energy electric power,
• endorse the continuity and growth of the alternative energy power production industry,
• assist in meeting this country’s energy, industrial, economic, and environmental needs.

Due in part to ARIPPA member activities, unsightly coal refuse piles and the problems associated with them are gradually disappearing. Thousands of acres of land have been and continue to be reclaimed to a natural state or for productive use and future development. ARIPPA facilities remove and utilize coal refuse from both past and current mining activities, thereby abating acid mine drainage from coal refuse piles. ARIPPA reports that 145 million tons of coal refuse has been processed and converted into alternative energy by their member plants from 1998 to 2008. Further, the technology used to convert coal refuse to electricity, known as Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) technology, produces alkaline-rich ash by-products. There are many beneficial uses for CFB ash including; filling mine pits, as a replacement for lime (for acid mine drainage remediation), for acid mine drainage remediation, as a soil amendment at mining sites, and/or as a concrete additive for roadways.

The unique nature of ARIPPA’s work combined with the desire to coordinate efforts with environmentally oriented groups and governmental agencies symbolize a commitment to improving the landscape and environment of our nation. You can learn more about ARIPPA at: http://www.arippa.org/

The post EPCAMR Awards 4 Regional ARIPPA AMD/AML Reclamation Awards to Improve Local Waterways in the amount of $2500 appeared first on epcamr.org.