Acid mine drainage is one of the most visible and costly impacts of coal mining, turning Appalachian waterways rust orange with dangerous pollution, and threatening the health of people and wildlife. Remediation of this pollution requires long-term treatment facilities, and in turn, long-term funding.

In 2021, Congress enacted the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which included an unprecedented and transformative $11.3 billion for abandoned coal mine land reclamation. But unfortunately, the new law does not allow states to set money aside for long-term acid mine drainage treatment facilities.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will allow states and tribes with abandoned mines to revitalize streams and rivers that have been devastated by coal pollution, but we need to make sure states have the freedom to spend this money on long-term treatment of acid mine drainage. Cleaning up these waterways will also allow communities to invest in the outdoor recreation economy, creating new jobs in areas transitioning away from fossil-fuel-based economies.

Tell Congress to let states use their infrastructure funding for acid mine drainage treatment!