Project to treat mine drainage in central Schuylkill receiving $220k

SAINT CLAIR – More than $220,000 is coming to Schuylkill County for mine drainage treatment.

A project to deal with abandoned mine drainage in East Norwegian Township is receiving the funding, according to Senator Dave Argall (R-29) and Rep. Tim Twardzik (R-123).

Undertaken by the Schuylkill Conservation District, the funding will help design a new mine drainage treatment for the abandoned Pine Forest Shaft and help clean the Upper Schuylkill River.

“The polluted rivers and streams left behind by long-gone companies drive home how important these cleanup efforts are,” Argall said. “We’ve made significant progress since I grew up near heavily polluted rivers in Port Carbon and Tamaqua. Many of our rivers and streams that were choked with pollution now run clean. However, much work remains to restore our land and protect our waters for future generations, so that our grandchildren and their children will only see the accounts of devastated landscapes and waterways in their history books, rather than from the windows of their homes.”

“This investment is an important step toward restoring the waterways that help define our communities,” Twardzik said. “Improving water quality in East Norwegian Township protects public health, strengthens our local environment and supports the long-term revitalization of the region. I appreciate the continued commitment of the Schuylkill Conservation District and all who work each day to safeguard our natural resources.”

Funding was awarded through DEP’s Nonpoint Source Management Program, which supports projects to restore impaired waterways statewide.

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