WASHINGTON – As part of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to clean up legacy pollution and revitalize the environment and economy of coal communities, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement has awarded $100,000 in a cooperative agreement for a watershed restoration project in Mount Pleasant Township, Pennsylvania. OSMRE’s Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program provides funds to nonprofit organizations for the construction of acid mine drainage treatment facilities that help restore the health of local streams.

“Watersheds are essential for communities, supplying water for municipal, industrial, agricultural, and recreational uses,” said OSMRE Regional Director Tom Shope. “WCAP funds help local nonprofit groups restore watersheds negatively impacted by abandoned mine lands and support citizen-based conservation in coal communities.”

The Sewickley Creek Watershed Association, a nonprofit dedicated to conserving natural resources in the Sewickley Creek Watershed, was awarded $100,000 to improve the Brinkerton Mine Drainage Treatment System, which was constructed in 2008. This project will increase the effectiveness of that passive treatment system by continuing the construction of an aeration system to speed the cleanup of the water, increasing water flow and managing vegetation near the treatment system. The long-term goal at this site is to develop an environmentally sensitive recreational area.

"The Sewickley Creek Watershed Association is thrilled to partner with the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement to continue our work at the Brinkerton Abandoned Mine Treatment System,” said Rob Cronauer, president of Sewickley Creek Watershed Association. “It is through these collaborative efforts that we can tackle the environmental issues that degrade Sewickley Creek.”

About the WCAP Program

WCAP grants are typically around $100,000 per project to complete local acid mine drainage reclamation projects. Projects can include installation of passive or active water treatment systems, as well as reclamation of lands that contribute sediment or acid forming materials to streams. AMD projects are selected through a merit review process. WCAP grants result in partnerships that encourage long-term commitment to projects through engagement with local communities and environmental conservation.

– OSMRE –

OSMRE carries out the requirements of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 in cooperation with states and Tribes. OSMRE’s objectives are to ensure that coal mining activities are conducted in a manner that protects citizens and the environment during mining, to ensure that the land is restored to beneficial use after mining and to mitigate the effects of past mining by aggressively pursuing reclamation of abandoned coal mines.