PRINTER'S NO. 774
No. 685 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, MUSTO, O'PAKE, RHOADES AND WASHINGTON,
MARCH 29, 2007
REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 29, 2007
AN ACT
1 Selecting, designating and adopting anthracite or "hard coal" as
2 the official rock of the Commonwealth.
3 WHEREAS, The eastern and northeastern regions of this
4 Commonwealth contain virtually all of the nation's supply of
5 anthracite or "hard coal"; and
6 WHEREAS, The anthracite ranges cover 484 square miles in the
7 following nine counties: Dauphin, Schuylkill, Northumberland,
8 Columbia, Carbon, Luzerne, Lackawanna, Wayne and Susquehanna;
9 and
10 WHEREAS, It is estimated that 16 billion tons of coal lie
11 within the anthracite seams in this Commonwealth, of which seven
12 to eight billion tons of anthracite coal are capable of being
13 mined; and
14 WHEREAS, Anthracite mining occurs in the following eight
15 counties: Schuylkill, Carbon, Luzerne, Northumberland,
16 Lackawanna, Columbia, Dauphin and Sullivan; and
17 WHEREAS, Anthracite, historically referred to as "stone
1 coal," is one of this Commonwealth's most significant natural
2 resources; and
3 WHEREAS, The production of anthracite coal has historically
4 been a major industry and source of employment in this
5 Commonwealth; and
6 WHEREAS, Anthracite played a major role in the
7 industrialization of this Commonwealth and the United States;
8 and
9 WHEREAS, Anthracite coal was known to exist in the area of
10 Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania as early as 1769; and
11 WHEREAS, In 1775 the mining of anthracite began in
12 northeastern Pennsylvania in a mine located near Pittston; and
13 WHEREAS, In 1820, the first recorded anthracite coal company,
14 the Lehigh Coal Mining Company, began shipping anthracite out of
15 the coal field region; and
16 WHEREAS, Between 1870 and 1995, 31,113 individuals died in
17 anthracite mining accidents; and
18 WHEREAS, In 1971 the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum
19 Commission created the Anthracite Museum Complex, three museums
20 (Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum, Eckley Miners' Village
21 and the Museum of Anthracite Mining) and one historical site
22 (Scranton Iron Furnaces) to help preserve and share the rich
23 history of Pennsylvania anthracite.
24 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
25 hereby enacts as follows:
26 Section 1. Official State rock.
27 Anthracite or "hard coal" is hereby selected, designated and
28 adopted as the official rock of the Commonwealth.
29 Section 2. Effective date.
30 This act shall take effect immediately.
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