Congresswoman Lee toured Tinkers Run and Brush Creek, where pollution from the Biddle Mine continues to visibly impact local waterways, including stretches of creek turned orange by mine runoff.
She also visited the future site of a treatment facility that will help clean polluted water before it reaches the surrounding watershed.
Following the tour, Congresswoman Lee presented Westmoreland County Commissioners with a ceremonial $1+ million check representing the federal investment she helped bring home for the project.
“When you can stand next to a creek and quite literally see the water turning orange from mine pollution, you don’t need anybody to explain why this investment matters,” said Rep. Lee.
“For generations, communities across Western Pennsylvania have lived with the environmental consequences left behind by industries that built enormous wealth off our region, impacting their health, quality of living, and cleanup costs. That’s why I fought to bring home more than $1 million for this project, so we can clean up these waterways, protect the Turtle Creek watershed, and invest in a healthier future for the people who live here.”
“As a Biddle native this area often served as a playground for me and my friends. Our children today and in the future deserve better. This is a really important project for our environment and our community. And I am so grateful for all of the project partners, including Congresswoman Summer Lee for the federal support,” said Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas.
The project will support efforts to remediate mine drainage associated with the Biddle Mine and reduce pollution entering Tinkers Run, Brush Creek, and the broader Turtle Creek watershed.
Congresswoman Lee was joined by Westmoreland County Commissioners Ted Kopas, Sean Kertes, and Doug Chew, along with local officials and community partners involved in the remediation effort.
The $1,075,000 investment was included in the Fiscal Year 2026 federal funding package as a Community Project Funding request secured by Congresswoman Lee.
Click Here for the complete announcement.
Related Articles This Week:
-- The Citizens’ Voice: Small But Mighty: Eastern PA Coalition For Abandoned Mine Reclamation Celebrates 30 Years Of Revitalizing Region’s Coal Land [PDF of Article]
NewsClips:
-- The Citizens’ Voice: Small But Mighty: Eastern PA Coalition For Abandoned Mine Reclamation Celebrates 30 Years Of Revitalizing Region’s Coal Land [PDF of Article]
-- WESA/The Allegheny Front: DEP To Study Whether 11,000 Acres In Westmoreland County Is ‘Unsuitable’ For Coal Mining
-- Observer-Reporter: Coal Miner Sues For Wrongful Termination Claiming Coal Company Retaliated After Worker Raised Safety Concerns
-- WVIA: US DOE Secretary Visits Schuylkill County Coal Waste-Fired Power Plant To Promote American Energy
[Posted: August 25, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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