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Good Samaritan Cleanups of Abandoned Mines to be Focus of Hearing

Washington, DC, October 16, 2015 | Justin Harclerode (202) 225-9446
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The Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, chaired by U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH), will hold a hearing next week on opportunities for, and impediments to, Good Samaritan cleanups of abandoned mine sites in the United States.

Past mining activities across the U.S. have impacted hundreds of thousands of acres of land generating substantial amounts of waste that can pose health and safety hazards to the public.  Current efforts to clean up abandoned mine sites are limited, in part because potential Good Samaritans often indicate reluctance to become involved in cleanup work because of liability concerns under various environmental laws.

The Subcommittee hearing, entitled, “Abandoned Mines in the United States and Opportunities for Good Samaritan Cleanups,” is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 21, 2015, in 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.

Witness List (Updated 10/19/15):

  • The Honorable Mathy Stanislaus, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • Eric Cavazza, Director, Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; on behalf of the Interstate Mining Compact Commission and the National Association of Abandoned Mine Land Programs
  • Luke Russell, Vice President External Affairs, Hecla Mining Company; on behalf of the National Mining Association
  • Doug Young, Senior Policy Director, Keystone Policy Center
  • Chris Wood, President, Trout Unlimited
  • Lauren Pagel, Policy Director, Earthworks

    More information about the hearing, including testimony, additional background information, and link to live webcast, will be posted here as it becomes available.

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