Press Releases

On Wednesday, the Natural Resources Committee in the House of Representatives voted in favor of the RECLAIM Act, a bill proposed by Rep. Matt Cartwright (PA-08) to advance economic development by helping communities revitalize lands that have been adversely affected by coal mining.

“The RECLAIM Act is a job-creating bill that will lead to economic development, clean water and lands, and a fresh start for communities in Pennsylvania and across the country,” said Congressman Cartwright. “I thank my colleagues in the Natural Resources committee for advancing legislation that will have a positive impact on countless Americans.”

The Revitalizing the Economy of Coal Communities by Leveraging Local Activities and Investing More Act (RECLAIM) Act will accelerate the investment of $1 billion in unappropriated funds, giving states the tools they need to invest in the communities that have been negatively impacted by the closure of coal mines. By allowing communities to decide for themselves how to apply their funds, the RECLAIM Act is adaptable across the Appalachia.

Specifically, the RECLAIM Act will allow local communities to revitalize lands previously occupied by coal mining companies. The funds may be used to restore land and water resources adversely affected by past coal mining; to seal and fill abandoned deep mine entries and voids; to plant land and prevent erosion and sedimentation; and to treat water pollution created by coal mine drainage.

The RECLAIM Act has been endorsed by several national organizations, including Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center, Appalachian Region Independent Power Producers Association (ARIPPA), Appalachian Voices, Aquashicola-Pohopoco Watershed Conservancy, Babb Creek Watershed Association, Inc., BlueGreen Alliance, Catawissa Creek Restoration Association, Centone Pictures, LLC., Citizens Coal Council, Diné Citizens Against Ruining our Environment, Earthjustice, Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR), Environmental Justice Center at Chestnut Hill United Church, Foundation for PA Watersheds, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, Mahanoy Creek Watershed Association, National Wildlife Federation, OVEC-Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, PennEnvironment, PennFuture, Pocono Heritage Land Trust, Prairie Rivers Network, Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance, Sierra Club, Schuylkill Headwaters Association, Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment, The Alliance for Appalachia, The Wilderness Society, Union of Concerned Scientists, Voices for Progress, West Virginia Council of Churches, Western Colorado Alliance for Community Action, Western Organization of Resource Councils, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Western Pocono Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Wiconisco Creek Restoration Association Inc.

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