Posted: | December 5, 2014 03:30 PM |
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From: | Senator Donald C. White |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Waste Coal Energy and Reclamation Tax Credit |
I plan to re-introduce legislation (Senate Bill 1346 from last session) which would establish a waste coal energy and reclamation tax credit. Past coal mining management practices have left coal refuse from abandoned mines on land across the Commonwealth, leading to water, land and air pollution. While Pennsylvania’s Abandoned Mine Land reclamation program has made progress in cleaning up these sites, it remains an overwhelming task which has been underfunded by the federal government. The coal refuse to alternative energy industry is helping Pennsylvania to address this issue at no costs to taxpayers. This industry converts coal refuse from both past and current mining activities to produce electricity for residents and businesses across the state. In this process, coal refuse stockpiles are removed from land and the ash byproduct produced during the conversion is utilized—all contributing to the cleanup and reclamation of abandoned mine lands and streams. Additionally, this industry creates a clean, alternative energy source and provides thousands of jobs statewide. Power plants that use coal waste face serious economic challenges due to a volatile and depressed energy market as well as high maintenance costs caused by the nature of the waste fuel it uses. My legislation would establish a waste coal energy and reclamation tax credit to ensure this industry continues to grow and is able to supplement Pennsylvania’s efforts to clean up and reclaim abandoned mine damaged lands and waterways. My legislation would:
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Introduced as SB368