The Department of Environmental Protection Wednesday announced it will start two new mine reclamation projects: one in Knox Township, Jefferson County; and the other in Perry Township, Clarion County.
Reclamation of the Brooksville Southeast site, located in Knox Township, Jefferson County, will involve implementation of an erosion and sedimentation control plan that includes more than 195,000 cubic yards of grading, as well as gas line relocation.
The contract includes 525 square yards of high-velocity erosion control mulch blanket, mine seal, and 27.5 acres of seeding. The total cost of the project is $290, 258.50.
The Perryville Northeast site, located in Perry Township, Clarion County, consists of more than 112,000 cubic yards of grading, 85 cubic yards of ditch excavation, and 690 square yards of erosion control/turf reinforcement mat.
It will also include 1237 linear feet of subsurface drain, and just over 11 acres of seeding. The total cost of this project is $192, 205.00
The Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation administers and oversees the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program in Pennsylvania.
The bureau is responsible for resolving problems such as mine fires, mine subsidence, dangerous highwalls, open shafts and portals, mining-impacted water supplies and other hazards which have resulted from past coal mining (pre-1977) practices in accordance with requirements established by the federal Office of Surface Mining under authority of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.
The funding for these projects comes from Office of Surface Mining fees collected from the Coal Industry nationwide.
Work at both sites is underway. Reclamation work at the Jefferson County site, being done by E. M. Brown, Inc of Clearfield, is expected to be completed in November, 2014. Work at the Clarion County site, which is being performed by J & J Snyder, Inc of Mayport, is scheduled to be done by September, 2014.
