The state of Kentucky has been in the business of cleaning up abandoned mine land sites for decades. A large infusion of federal money is expected to make a major impact in that effort.
Rebecca Shelton with the Appalachian Citizens Law Center calls it a “game changer.” She’s talking about the first check of $74 million to address old mine sites and orphaned gas and oil wells. Shelton said the state program at less than $10 million goes to tackle open portals, destabilized slopes, and coal refuse piles. She noted these federal dollars will help whittle down the list.
“I can’t say exactly how many of the sites that this investment will actually be able to take care of over the next 15 years. I don’t think it will take care of all of them, but it will take care of more than has ever been accomplished in 40 years of the program,” said Shelton.
Shelton estimated cleanup for the remaining abandoned mines sites across Kentucky at more than $900 million. She said summertime flooding in eastern Kentucky only exacerbated the problem.
While reclamation can help in attracting new manufacturing, Shelton added homeowner peace of mind is a priority.
“Landslides from these issues push peoples’ homes off their foundations. Water is leaking into their basement and causing de-stable…I mean we just have to fix that. I mean before we do..not before we think about manufacturing but it’s basic well-being, it’s safety. It’s life or death,” said Shelton.
U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland came to Kentucky last week to announce the first $74 million allocation. It’s the first of expected funding over 15 years.
