Abandoned coal mines listed as “active” come after a Kentucky civil law organization found that as many as 40 percent of the state's mines are unproductive and abandoned in the state. A federal investigation into the incident is expected to begin in March, Inside Climate News reported. I will report it.
The Appalachian Civil Law Center, a nonprofit organization based in Whitesburg, Kentucky, has released a new report on the state of Kentucky's “zombie” mines. Of the 126 mines operating on paper, 48 have ceased producing coal. In 27 of them he has not produced anything for more than 5 years, and in some he has been abandoned for more than 10 years.
Once the mining company is done using the site, it will carry out basic work to begin remediating the land, according to Inside Climate News. Modern mining techniques involve cutting down trees and removing soil from mountain tops and then dumping the debris into valleys, which can contaminate rivers and headwaters. On the other hand, there are steep and dangerous cliffs within the site due to the movement of mine debris.
At the end of the mine's life, the company is supposed to rebuild the mountain, plant trees and other plants, and purify the water. Companies need to secure financing at the start of a mining project so they can carry out remediation work even if they go bankrupt.
According to Inside Climate News, many mining companies appear to be dragging their feet.
“Some coal companies are shutting down mines and slowing down reclamation efforts to cut costs,” a group of eight members of Congress is calling for an investigation by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. “Mine operators typically rely on coal revenues to fund reclamation, so the longer a mine remains dormant, the greater the risk that operators will not have sufficient funds to pay for reclamation.”
When that happens, pollution from exposed mines impacts local waterways and downstream communities, not to mention all the plants and wildlife that suffer from habitat loss.
Inside Climate News previously reported on the issue in 2022, quoting senior environmental scientist Courtney Skaggs, saying, “This is completely out of control. … This is going to blow up in someone's face.” Ta.
Thankfully, the federal investigation should shed light on this problem not only in Kentucky but throughout the region. This is the first step in stricter enforcement to reclaim these abandoned mine sites.
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