CENTERVILLE —
Pathfinders Resource Conservation and Development, Inc. received a $100,000 Watershed Cooperative Agreement grant from the Office of Surface Mining. The grant will help fund reclamation of the Harris Abandoned Mine Land site in Monroe County. The Harris reclamation project is being completed in cooperation with the Monroe Soil and Water Conservation District and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Division of Soil Conservation. Monroe County Conservation has also provided support for the project.
Surface coal mines that ceased operations before 1977 were not required to be “reclaimed” by the operator once the mining stopped. This means an area strip-mined for coal was often left with large piles of the overburden that was stripped away so coal could be extracted.
Unreclaimed mine lands present several environmental and aesthetic problems including exposed remnant coal leading to acid mine drainage, acid mine drainage lowering the pH in receiving waterbodies which negatively affects aquatic life and reduces biodiversity, acidic soils do not support the growth of vegetation so landscapes look barren and the soil continues to runoff without vegetation to hold it in place and dangerous “highwalls” and large, steep spoil piles from mining activity that can be hazardous to people and animals.
Iowa has over 230 unreclaimed mine sites affecting 12-13,000 acres. The Harris project will reclaim 4.5 acres and improve water that flows to Bluff Creek. To date, Pathfinders has partnered on 15 AML projects in three counties.
Pathfinders is a nonprofit organization that assists local communities with initiatives related to natural resource conservation, economic development, and recreation. Pathfinders has been southeast Iowa since 1978. To learn more contact Pathfinders by calling (641) 472-6177 or visit www.PathfindersRCD.org.
Business
Pathfinders receives grant for mine reclamation
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