THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY HUTCHINSON, PYLE, SACCONE, EVANKOVICH, CAUSER, RAPP, ROAE, GABLER, OBERLANDER, STEVENSON, TOBASH, DUNBAR AND KNOWLES, OCTOBER 3, 2012

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, OCTOBER 3, 2012  

A RESOLUTION

Urging the Congress of the United States to repeal section

411(h) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of

1977.

WHEREAS, Federal surface transportation extension

legislation, referred to as MAP-21, was enacted by the Congress

of the United States and, on July 6, 2012, was signed into law

by the President; and

WHEREAS, That Federal law amended the Surface Mining Control

and Reclamation Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-87, 30 U.S.C. § 1201

et seq.) to limit total abandoned mine land payments to states

and Indian tribes to not more than $15,000,000 annually; and

WHEREAS, The limit may result in a loss of more than

$17,000,000 annually and a total loss of more than $200,000,000

to Pennsylvania's abandoned mine reclamation and acid mine

drainage efforts; and

WHEREAS, Reclaiming abandoned mine lands and abating acid

mine drainage is vital to our environment and the health and

safety of the citizens of Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has long been a leader in reclaiming

abandoned mine lands; and

WHEREAS, Despite the efforts of Pennsylvania, an estimated

180,000 acres of abandoned mine land remain and 5,500 miles of

streams continue to see pollution from acid mine drainage in our

State; and

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental

Protection has identified more than 30 reclamation projects with

an estimated cost of $70,000,000 that may be delayed or deferred

over the next two years as a result of this decrease in Federal

funding; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United

States to repeal section 411(h) of the Surface Mining Control

and Reclamation Act of 1977; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to

the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each

member of Congress from Pennsylvania.