An underground mine map of the Holmes vein in the Silver Creek Colliery of Blythe Township, PA 

Project Title for Position 1: GIS & Mine Pool Mapping Project Coordinator

GIS & Mine Pool Mapping Support for the Pennsylvania Northern Anthracite Coalfield Communities

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

EPCAMR believes the support provided by the OSMRE/AmeriCorps member will impact our regional coalfield communities in a variety of positive ways. The member will use ArcGIS and 3D Mine Pool Modeling software to create and coordinate regional training sessions and workshops. 60% of their time will be focused on GIS mapping, 3D mine pool modeling, and the development of training workshops for OSMRE/AmeriCorps through the agreement EPCAMR has with the OSMRE TIPS Program. The member will also assist in monitoring mine pool water elevations and water quality, as well as take flow and chemistry at abandoned mine drainage (AMD) discharges. The other 40% of their time will be spent on GeoMap and other OSMRE responsibilities.

The support of this project will greatly improve NE PA’s understanding of the complex and vast underground mine workings and mine pools that lie beneath the majority of the coalfields. Data collected and maps produced will allow EPCAMR to seek funds that can infuse grant funds and leverage dollars to support other remediation, reclamation, and economic redevelopment projects. The project will provide training to OSMRE/AmeriCorps nationally working in abandoned mine impacted communities by EPCAMR Staff, who are nationally recognized by OSM for our work in 3D Mine Pool Modeling and Mapping. Dozens of new non-traditional partnerships with private sector interests looking to treat AMD will be created to improve the quality of life in coal impacted communities and create jobs. Recommendations of proposed projects will be pursued for implementation based on newly created mine pool boundaries, volumes of water potentially being stored in the underground workings, and the potential for the use of the underground storage for consumptive use or low flow augmentation projects.

The position will develop and coordinate regional training programs for on AMD water quality monitoring, the use of GIS in watershed assessments of AMD impacted watersheds, and the use of 3D Software (ArcGIS, EarthVision and GlobalMapper) for the creation and development of mapping underground mine pools, which EPCAMR is a national leader in doing, in partnership with the OSMRE TIPS Program already. It is expected that the AmeriCorps Member will spend 40% of his or her work on these types of trainings. The remaining 60% will be used to  support EPCAMR’s needs to provide direct service and continuous support to a large number of coalfield community groups that are volunteer-based and in constant need of technical assistance, fundraising, education, outreach, and capacity building. The project will allow EPCAMR to catalog historic mine map collections from the State and private collections that will be eventually scanned, digitized, and geo-referenced to be used in EPCAMR’s mine pool modeling efforts. The positions will allow them to address public health and safety concerns that surround abandoned mine lands and AMD impacted areas through the development of GIS and Mine Mapping Education programs, the flow and chemistry monitoring of AMD discharges and treatment locations, and increasing the awareness of problems and solutions associated with abandoned mine lands. The project will allow the positions to research GIS grants and foundations options to support EPCAMR activities such as service learning projects, field tours, and to participate in the coordination of our 19th year State-wide Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference.

Huber Breaker Historic Preservation Tour provided by EPCAMR’s Executive Director.

Project Title for Position 2:

Education & Outreach Capacity Building Support for the Northern Anthracite PA Coalfield Communities

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The support provided by the OSMRE/AmeriCorps member will impact our regional Northern Anthracite PA Coalfields Communities in a variety of positive ways. The member will create, conduct, and provide, outdoor environmental educational programs and experiences to students in underserved schools and coalfield communities on AMD and abandoned mine land reclamation. Community outreach efforts will be promoted into the most heavily distressed communities impacted by abandoned mines, where existing partnerships will become strengthened through an increase in awareness of EPCAMR’s work and other reclamation partners within the region. 60% of the time spent on direct service in building capacity with the EPCAMR Staff will be conducted to create viable reclamation, remediation, and environmental education, environmental action, and outreach programs, provide historic preservation support, and give technical services and assistance to our constituents. EPCAMR’s volunteer management and recruit to support the regional projects, programs, and events will be strengthened. 40% of the time will be spent on GeoMap and other OSMRE workload responsibilities.

The support of this project will reclaim acres of abandoned mine lands. It will infuse grant funds and leverage dollars to support local projects. Miles of riparian corridors will be stabilized and planted during restoration projects. Thousands of underserved students will be educated on abandoned mine land environmental issues and water pollution problems within the Northern Anthracite Coalfields. Hundreds of trees will be planted. The project will provide training to OSMRE/AmeriCorps nationally working in abandoned mine impacted communities. Dozens of new non-traditional community partnerships will be created to improve the quality of life in coal impacted communities. Recommendations of proposed projects will be pursued for implementation based on watershed assessments and watershed restoration plans completed by EPCAMR and the member.

The project will result in supporting EPCAMR’s needs to provide direct service and continuous support to a large number of volunteer-based, coalfield community groups in constant need of technical assistance, education, outreach, and capacity building. The project will address public health and safety concerns that surround abandoned mine lands and polluted waterways impacted by AMD. The project will enhance our recruitment, enlistment, training, coordination, and communications with our volunteer base more regularly.  The project will allow EPCAMR to build on our Volunteer Management Program called RECLAIM Crew that encourages our regional volunteers of all ages to be engaged in EPCAMR programs, field activities, cleanups, restoration and preservation projects, tree plantings, and advocate for our work. The position will allow them to address public health and safety concerns that surround abandoned mine lands and AMD impacted areas through the development of education programs, the monitoring of AMD discharges and treatment locations, and increasing the awareness of problems and solutions associated with abandoned mine lands. The project will allow the positions to research grants and foundations, options to support EPCAMR activities such as service learning projects, community environmental fairs, art project with AMD, field tours, nature photography tours, hikes, river festivals, and to participate in the coordination of our 18 year State-wide Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference. 40% of the time will be spent on GeoMap and other OSMRE workload responsibilities.

OSMRE.AMERICORPS Member Program One-Pager final

OSMRE AmeriCorps Site ApplicationEPCAMR

OSMRE AmeriCorps Member Compensation Summary

The post EPCAMR Seeking to Sponsor 2 Office of Surface Mining Reclamation & Enforcement AmeriCorps Positions appeared first on epcamr.org.

(Ashley, PA)– EPCAMR, the Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Wilkes University, Misericordia University, Earth Conservancy, and Greater Nanticoke Area Elementary (GNA) have partnered for an Environmental Education Outreach and Pottery Art Program to teach students about abandoned mine drainage (AMD) water pollution problems in the Southern Wyoming Valley watersheds and how those pollution sources can be solved in creative ways reusing one of the by-products of past mining practices.  EPCAMR, who specializes in restoring streams impacted by AMD, conducting community cleanups, and providing education and outreach efforts to many regional schools throughout the Coal Region recently received a $3000 environmental education grant through the PA Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Education Grant Program in order to fund our project through the Summer of 2015. EPCAMR has purchased two pottery wheels, clay, and supplies to support the project.

EPCAMR will be taking the entire 4^th & 5^th grade classes from GNA to multiple AMD impacted sites within the School District and in S. Wilkes-Barre. Seven field trips are planned that  will allow students to experience where the iron oxide comes from before heading to EPCAMR to see how iron oxide can be processed and re-used in art projects. The iron oxide can be used for painting, tie-dying, making chalk, and creating pottery glazes. EPCAMR, with the help of Jean Adams of Wilkes University & Skip Sensbach of Misericordia University, both Artists and Professors who will be teaching the students at GNA how to create pottery and use reclaimed iron oxide in order to create sustainable art. GNA’s Mrs. Michelle Kordek, is assisting with the coordination of the project with EPCAMR, both inside and outside of the classroom. The students will be creating art after the Winter Christmas Break in early 2015 in their art classroom where they will be dipping their pottery that they create in one of several iron oxide glazes that will be mixed by EPCAMR and the Artists. EPCAMR plans to create its very own regional glaze mixture of iron oxide by the end of the project.

EPCAMR’s Executive Director and local resident of Nanticoke, Robert Hughes, who has worked previously with the Greater Nanticoke Area to bring grants and outdoor environmental education programs to the District over the last 8 years is happy to be able to bring this type of interdisciplinary education approach to the 4th and 5th grade students at GNA. He goes on to say:

“I really think that our students need to gain an understanding of the local world around them and the impacts that it is having on them directly or indirectly, whether or not they know what those problems are at this point in their young lives or not. By having our regional non-profit organization bring the students out into the surrounding local streams and watersheds that are within two miles of their own backyard and school to learn about the environmental impacts to our community is something that they should at least be aware of as they get older. They should understand why their rivers and streams are orange, smell like sulfur, where this mine water is coming from, and what can be done and is being done to clean it up. They should learn that they can become a part of the solution and become actively engaged in local stream cleanups or illegal dump site cleanups that EPCAMR has already coordinated within the School District and greater Southern Wyoming Valley. Those students who might want to become artists will also have another outlet and medium to work in once we show them how to recycle the iron oxide from these mine discharges that can be used for multiple art mediums in the classroom. These are just some of the reasons why I’ve decided to pursue this grant and was successful in having our organization receive the innovative grant award to serve our community first. I want my hometown to be the first School District to have the opportunity to utilize our regional iron oxide glazes that we will be creating and using in the classroom when we create some pottery art next year.”

The AMD Field Tours are going to be in the mornings from around 8am-12 noon on the following dates: November 21, November 24, November 25, November 26, December 2, December 3, and December 5.

Abandoned mine drainage (AMD) is caused by a reaction between pyrite, fool’s gold, and the oxygen present in the water. The result is a thick orange sediment which coats the stream bottom and makes it difficult for native plants and animals to live in the water. 5500 miles of streams in PA are polluted by AMD. www.epcamr.org 

Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) Environmental Education

 & Pottery Art Program Tour Agenda (Leave from GNA Elementary Center around 8AM)

Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD)

– Pollutant that occurs as a result of past coal mining practices

– AMD forms when water from underground mines mixes with pyrite (fool’s gold) and oxygen to form rust

– The result is an orange muck which settles on the bottom of rivers and streams and pollutes the water  and makes it hard for plants & animals to survive.

Site 1: Red Lake

– Former Stripping Pit and municipal landfill at the far end of the pit looking north for the Glen Nan Colliery

– Orange/Red coloration from AMD upwelling into the stripping pit

– 20 acre lake bubbles and gurgles as water rushes into the lake from seeps and old mine gangways along the easterly portion of the stripping pit

– AMD from Red Lake meets up with the Honey Pot Discharge (Site #2)

Robert Hughes, Executive Director of Eastern PA Coalition for abandoned mine reclamation, takes water samples in mine drainage in Newport Township, Luzerne County, below Red Lake- (Michael J. Mullen)

Site 2: Honey Pot Discharge

– Discharges from an abandoned air shaft (#7) from the former Susquehanna #7 Colliery

– Was once the slackwater section for the Susquehanna North Branch Canal. Boats would come along the canal near Access Road to be loaded with coal.

– 2000 gal/minute average flow with high iron loading that eventually reaches the Newport Creek and  Susquehanna River

– Where EPCAMR get most of our iron oxide

– Have students assist with getting iron oxide

Wilkes University Volunteer cleaning up trash along the Honey Pot AMD discharge near the LCCC Park-n-Ride.

Site 3: Solomon Creek Boreholes

– 6 Boreholes (5 new & 1 old), 2 old ones collapsed and were replaced with 5 new ones

– Third largest borehole drainage area in the region

– 20 million gallons of water per day

– Boreholes are 240 feet deep

Solomon Creek AMD Boreholes in South Wilkes-Barre

Site 4: Askam Borehole AMD Treatment System (20 minutes)

– Askam Borehole drilled in the 1970’s to relieve water pressure from underground mines causing water  to go into residential basements;

– Collapsed in 1998 and two new boreholes had to be drilled on the other side of Dundee Road in between SR 29 and along the streambank of Nanticoke Creek

– Askam Treatment System uses the Maelstrom Oxidizer which uses a series of tubes which push air   into the water and cause the iron to fall out, making the water cleaner as it                      enters back into Nanticoke Creek following the dropping out of the iron in the series of ponds and baffles used to slow down the  water

– 3500 gal/minute into system

– Have students monitor water level (depth to the mine pool) at the Borehole with the Solonist Tape

Askam AMD Borehole along Dundee Road.

Site 5: EPCAMR Office

– Show students iron oxide station and examples of reuse of the pigment for various products

– Iron Oxide Solar Kiln for Drying and Processing AMD and converting into iron oxide packets for sale

EPCAMR AMD Solar Kiln

The post AMD Environmental Education & Pottery Art Program Tours Scheduled for Greater Nanticoke Area’s 4th & 5th Grade appeared first on epcamr.org.