Montour Trail-Letter

Volume 11, Issue 5

September/October, 2000

Earlier this year, the Montour Run Watershed Association (MRWA) garnered a grant from the Western PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (WPCAMR) to be used to present a workshop as the first step in working out the problems of abandoned mine drainage (AMD) in this area. Our ?Attacking AMD? workshop, held May 19th, attracted participants whose expertise runs the gamut from interested citizen to PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) Deputy Secretary for mineral resources.

We began our attack with an overview of the Montour Run Watershed area, itself, by MRWA treasurer, Alex Ropelewski. With maps and slides, he delineated the watershed margins.

Next, came Mike Koryak, a Limnologist with the Pgh. District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who gave us hope for the recovery of our streams, because the Monongahela and Youghiogheny were 'dead streams' (no fish living in them) in the 1950's, but have been recovering since 1965.

John Davidson, state mine inspector from the Greensburg District Office, has sampled, for some years, certain area streams for iron, aluminum and manganese. When he mentioned a treatment called 're-mining,' he introduced David Aloe who has done this type of reclamation. John was joined, in his presentation, by Jim Fletcher, also a mine inspector, who samples other sites in our area.

Peter Hartman, from the Office of Surface Mining, mentioned a federal grant program that partially funds construction of passive treatment systems for AMD, production of an educational newsletter, stream sampling, etc. Another federal grant might enable us to hire a college intern to assist us.

The Regional Coordinator for WPCAMR, Mark Killar, by reviewing current treatment options for AMD, explained that the original aim of mine reclamation was to close mine entrances and remove the dilapidated buildings left behind. Now, the focus is on cleaning up AMD.

Robert Dolence, Deputy Secretary for Mineral Resources Management, PA DEP, mentioned grant possibilities from the 'Growing Greener' fund. Of special interest, was a feasibility study being conducted concerning remining old coal mines on Airport property which will be affected by the construction of the Southern Beltway. He explained the Good Samaritan Act which protects organizations making remediation efforts.

After retreating for lunch, we attended a brainstorming session facilitated by Rita Coleman, Watershed Coordinator for the Southwest Regional Office of the PA DEP. Under Rita's energetic direction, we were guided through a discussion that brought the participants together as partners, who possess the information and know-how necessary to decide on and handle treatment of the mine-drainage problems in our watershed. An advisory committee was then formed to work out the next steps MRWA will take.

We ended the day with a bus tour of selected AMD sites in the Montour Run Watershed, seeing for ourselves some of the damage done by this pollution with which we will do battle. Please join us in our quest...the more soldiers, the better!