In Memoriam: Roger J. Hornberger, Former DEP District Mining Manager

Roger J. Hornberger, former Department of Environmental Protection District Mining Manager in Pottsville, passed away on March 19.
Roger started as an intern with the former Department of Environmental Resources in Harrisburg in 1978 and worked his way up to District Mining Manager over his career. He retired from the agency in 2006 after 19 years of service.
Roger did pioneering research into the impacts of abandoned mine drainage on aquatic life and water uses and helped develop groundbreaking policies and technologies to remediate mine drainage and abandoned mines.
He was a recognized national and international expert on mine remediation, including both active and passive treatment systems, and in preventing mine drainage problems from modern surface and deep mines.
"Roger advanced our scientific understanding of mine drainage issues and remediation techniques with a quiet competence that was instantly credible with the public and professionals alike," said David Hess, former Secretary of DEP. "His legacy is not only a significant body of knowledge, but hundreds of miles of restored streams throughout Pennsylvania and wherever there is mining."
Roger was District Mining Manager from 1987 to 2006. From 1978 to 1986 he was a hydrogeologist with PA's Bureau of Mining and Reclamation. Prior to working for the Commonwealth, he was employed at Penn State University in the Department of Landscape Architecture (1973-1976) and at the Institute for Research on Land and Water Resources (September 1974 – August 1975, and July 1976 – November 1978).
Roger had a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture and a M.S. in geology, both from Pennsylvania State University. He was the author of publications on coal mine drainage prediction and prevention and is the Interstate Mining Compact Commission's representative on the Operations Committee of the Acid Drainage Technology Initiative.
He was also a member of the Army National Guard for 22 years in Schuylkill County with the Red Horse Division. Click here for full obituary.