Assessing Cooperation in Pennsylvania's Abandoned Mine Reclamation Community

It is widely accepted that Pennsylvania is a leader in abandoned mine reclamation (AMR). Many here in PA would agree that one reason we are so successful is because we have developed and maintained a cooperative community of agency employees at all levels of government, non-profit watershed associations, academia, and professional representatives of industry, business, and construction contractors all working towards a common good. But beyond our cooperation, what specifically sets the AMR Community in Pennsylvania apart and what lessons can other abandoned coal mining-impacted states across our nation learn from us?

WPCAMR is interested in these questions and would like your participation in a discussion. We are starting off with a survey that digs deep. It is only 20 questions, but it will get you thinking about PA’s success in AMR and the watershed movement more broadly. We would like anyone and everyone who participates in abandoned mine reclamation in any capacity to complete this survey.

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* 1. What is your name and what organization(s), agency(s), and/or business(s) do you represent within the abandoned mine reclamation community? Please, no acronyms!

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* 2. How many years have you personally been a part of Pennsylvania's abandoned mine reclamation community?

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* 3. Approximately how many and what types of abandoned mine reclamation projects have you participated in?

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* 4. Do you feel that watershed organizations in your area coordinate well with other non-profit organizations? Why or why not?

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* 5. If you are a representative of a watershed group, what types of non-profits have you partnered with?

another watershed association

a regional group such as WPCAMR/EPCAMR, Pennsylvania Senior Environmental Corps, A land conservancy, Kiski-Conemaugh Stream Team, etc

a non-profit with a mission not directly related to AMD such as Boy Scouts, Lions Club, local Civic and Historic groups,

a state-wide organization such as Pennsylvania Environmental Council or Penn Future

a national organization like Trout Unlimited, Sierra Club, Ducks Unlimited

Other (please specify)

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* 6. How frequently do you contact someone from another non-profit organization?

yearly

monthly

weekly

Daily

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* 7. In what ways can cooperation between non-profit groups be improved?

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* 8. Do you feel that watershed groups in your area work well with the County Conservation District(s)? Why or why not?

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* 9. Do you feel that watershed groups in your area work well with townships and municpalities? Why or why not?

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* 10. Do you feel that watershed groups in Pennsylvania work well with Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection? Why or why not?

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* 11. How often does your organization and/or business contact PA DEP with respect to abandoned mine land reclamation?

yearly

monthly

weekly

never

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* 12. If you represent a non-profit watershed association, what types of partnerships has your organization had with the PA DEP?

We receive grants administered by DEP

A DEP employee is a general member of our organization

A DEP employee is a member of our Board

We participate in a DEP focus group

DEP helps us with water quality testing

DEP is a general advisor and friend for any watershed issue

Other (please specify)

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* 13. In what ways can cooperation between watershed groups and PA DEP be improved?

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* 14. Do you feel that watershed groups in Pennsylvania should cooperate and/or partner with industry? Why or why not?

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* 15. How many times and in what ways has your organization collaborated with industry on an abandoned mine reclamation project?

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* 16. In what ways can cooperation between watershed groups and industry be improved?

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* 17. It is widely viewed that Pennsylvania's abandoned mine reclamation community is unique in the amount of work we have accomplished. What factors do you feel can be attributed to our success?

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* 18. Below are some factors that may have contributed to the success of the Pennsylvania abandoned mine reclamation community. Please rank them in the order importance.

State grant money, for example the Growing Greener Program, for projects, programs, planning

Federal grant money for projects

Cooperative participation in public relations and fundraising events

Cooperative participation and support of environmental education events and conferences

Establishment and support of the Conservation District Watershed Specialist position

Open and transparent governmental policies

Culture of cooperation to achieve a common goal

Public participation in PA DEP policy development

Grants and capacity building aide from foundations

General culture of can-do and/or do-it-yourself among watershed groups to clean up watersheds

A local approach to watershed management

General success of watershed associations due to factors such as capacity building, education and outreach, effective organizational management, etc

General visibility and concern for Abandoned mine issues by general public

Collaboration and partnerships between non-profit groups

simple perseverance

Other

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* 19. What are your main concerns for Pennsylvania's abandoned mine reclamation community moving forward?

Lack of funding for further reclamation and Operation and Maintenance of existing treatment systems

Dissolution or stagnation of non-profit watershed associations

Decline of the coal industry, which is currently paying fees into the federal Abandoned Mine Fund and covering much of PA's reclamation efforts

Expiration of the collection Fees associated with SMCRA

Perceived and real liability concerns related to owning and maintaining abandoned mine drainage treatment systems

Shift of focus of governmental agencies away from abandoned mine reclamation issues

Other

N/A, I have no concerns for the future.

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* 20. Given that Pennsylvania is unique in the amount of reclamation we have accomplished and the cooperative partnerships that aided that reclamation. What can other states across the nation with abandoned mine lands learn from the Pennsylvania abandoned mine reclamation community?