|
|
Donate Your Time, Talent or Treasures
|
|
Kyra Norton
Student at Bloomsburg University
|
Rayne Brown
Student at Luzerne Co. Community College
|
|
|
AMD Sampling for O&M of Treatment Systems
|
|
Record Sampling Data @
Monitoring Assistance @
|
|
Mine Subsidence Insurance
|
|
|  |
|
Resources: Live News from EPCAMR on your Desktop
|
|
EPCAMR is proud to announce a new web service...EPCAMR NewsFlash via RSS. This previously under-utilized service has been gaining more popularity and can be a very useful tool to keep you updated in the day-to-day happenings of the EPCAMR and AMD/AML Related News. The technology that allows transmission directly to your computer is known as RSS or Really Simple Syndication. If you have Internet Explorer 7 or Firefox Internet Browsers (others may also apply), you will notice an orange icon in the address bar. This is the link to the news feed, click on it and follow the instructions to add the link to your browser.
If this does not appear, you may also download an RSS Aggregator. Most will read our feeds, but if you are unsure about which one to download, we suggest RSS Reader. We have customized this reader to automatically add the EPCAMR NewsFlash Click Here to download the EPCAMR RSS Reader (1.44 MB) or Click Here to download the "Read Me" text file for an explanation of the program and how to install it.
Once you have installed the program, or if you have a similar news syndicator the feed links are as follows:
 http://www.orangewaternetwork.org/backend.php or  http://www.orangewaternetwork.org/ultramode.txt .
The EPCAMR RSS Reader is adapted from the RSS Reader from www.rssreader.com and is ad ware free. The program runs under Windows 98/NT/Me/2000/XP/2003 Operating Systems.
|
Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation
Wyoming Valley Watershed PRIDE
(People Reaching Into Dumps Everyday)
Cleanup Results
Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR) has completed another cleanup! With the help of 26 volunteers on two Saturday morning cleanups (3/20 & 3/27), EPCAMR has cleaned up a 5.78 acre area along Pennsylvania Ave. and High Street in Wilkes-Barre. In this area we collected and disposed of more than 4.5 tons of municipal solid wastes (plastic and glass bottles, plastic bags, shopping carts, TV’s, air conditioners, children’s toys and strollers, mattresses, furniture, bicycles, etc.). This garbage alone filled a 40 cubic yard roll-off dumpster higher than the brim. Wilkes-Barre City offered assistance by taking almost another ton of recyclable waste (steel woven cables, and various metal objects) to a scrap yard, and 44 tires to a recycler. Pictures are available on our EPCAMR Facebook Fan site Cleanups Photo Album.
Your browser may not support display of this image. EPCAMR would like to thank our volunteers, many of whom were King’s College and Wilkes University students who were members of their respective higher education’s Environmental Clubs, for donating their Saturday mornings and Wilkes-Barre City for providing Public Works workers, and the use of a pickup truck and front-end loader to help out. Petroleum Service Company, Wilkes-Barre Housing Authority, and Luzerne County Rail & Redevelopment Corporation granted us permission to enter their properties, Louis Cohen and Sons (Fellow’s Ave., Hanover Twp.) for providing the dumpster, and OnSite Portable Toilets (Sugarloaf) for a restroom facility for the volunteers. We would like to thank the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority for donating six cases of spring water, and a deal with Jones’ Pizza & Pub (Hazle St. in Wilkes-Barre) for donating pizzas to replenish the volunteers after their hard work.
EPCAMR received a $16,000 grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Waste Management in April 2009. The non-profit has partnered with dozens of local community groups to secure the funding to work on multiple locations throughout the Wyoming Valley and has a 12 year history of conducting community cleanups throughout the Anthracite Region. Also, PA CleanWays has been a partner with EPCAMR over the years and has provided educational materials to community residents to prevent future dumping incidents from occurring. PA DOT provides gloves and garbage bags.
Within the next few months EPCAMR, with the valued help of volunteers, will be ridding Luzerne County of trash, tires, garbage, household wastes, demolition debris, and other discarded items located at several illegal dump sites throughout the Wyoming Valley. The majority of the dumping that goes on in local community open spaces, where apathy is high, access to sites is unlimited, and policing of the sites is virtually non-existent. There needs to be a change the mindset of local residents that illegal dumping will not be tolerated. Robert E. Hughes, EPCAMR Executive Director emphatically stated, “We don’t accept the mentality that it is alright to dump garbage wherever you want just because the landscape has already been scarred by mining. We’re trying to teach our children that this is unacceptable and a quality of life issue for our residents, their health, their children’s future, and the environment. EPCAMR would like to promote the PA CleanWays Adoption Program with local governments and community groups to establish additional signs and cameras to make dumpers more aware that people are becoming more vigilant and on guard in the future.”
EPCAMR would like to recruit additional volunteers for future cleanups to increase our volunteer base within the Wyoming Valley and other restoration projects in various communities to build upon our earlier successes. If you would like to offer a hand, contact Leigh Ann Kemmerer or Robert E. Hughes to learn how to sign up and get notified of more details. Cleanup dates will be scheduled on Saturdays until the end of June 2010. Volunteers can expect to work for at least a 4 hour shift to assist with any of the cleanups. Get more details on www.orangewaternetwork.org or EPCAMR’s Facebook page. Just search EPCAMR on Facebook to become a fan.
|
|
WBACTC FFA RECEIVES LIVING TO SERVE GRANT
|
|
The national FAA organization recently awarded more than $400,000 in rural youth development grants to 65 FFA chapters across the country including the chapter at the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center. $4,000 was awarded to Mrs. Janice Leiby's horticulture class to fund their "Avondale Community Garden Project".
On September 6, 1869 a mine fire killed 110 miners at Avondale, near Plymouth. The WBACTC is in partnership with the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation to implement the plan along the Susquehanna Warrior Trail located in Plymouth Township.
The grants are administered by USDA'S National Institute for Food and Agriculture through the national FAA organization. The FAA's mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agriculture education.
Pictured here are: Mr. Frank Majikes, WBACTC principal, Keith Konze, Percell Wilson, Samantha Shotto, Mr. Peter Halesey WBACTC acting director, Robert Hughes, EPCAMR Executive Director , Mrs. Janice Leiby, advisor,
Micheal Hewitt, EPCAMR Program Manager, Leigh Ann Kemmerer, EPCAMR Illegal Dumpsite Clean-Up coordinator
|
Posted by admin on Tuesday, 23 February 2010 (14:58:19) EST (235 reads)
(Read More... | Score: 0)
|
|
|
Press Releases: Intern to Instill PRIDE into the Wyoming Valley coordinating cleanups
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 12-8-09
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Leigh Ann Kemmerer, Illegal Dump Site Cleanup Specialist-570-371-3522
Intern to Instill PRIDE into the Wyoming Valley coordinating cleanups
EPCAMR would like to welcome Leigh Ann Kemmerer, a recent graduate of King’s College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science. As a student, Leigh Ann completed a variety of courses ranging from Ecological Statistics, Wildlife Ecology and Management, to Ecotoxicology. Many of the courses were hands-on performing fish population surveys, electrofishing, and benthic macroinvertebrate sampling. She was also a two year member of the Environmental Club at King’s.
She recently completed an internship with the Susquehanna River Basin Commission assisting with various projects utilizing state and federal protocols for water quality sampling, biological, habitat assessment surveys, and launching/retrieving remote monitoring devices on watersheds close to Harrisburg impacted by sedimentation and storm water runoff and on the E. Branch Fishing Creek, Columbia County on acid deposition. Leigh Ann contributed to the development of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) dealing with acid deposition.
She also spent three months studying abroad in Queensland, Australia, a few years ago, doing a range of research techniques in a highly fragmented and endangered mountain-forest ecosystem. The research contributed to long term goals that are major factors in rehabilitation projects in that region.
Leigh Ann previously interned with the Luzerne Conservation District where she completed a Wetlands Delineation Course with the Army Corps. Much of her time was spent with private consultant engineers on inspections with other District Staff in the Erosion and Sediment Control Department, assisted with stream bank assessments and stream corridor damage due to severe flooding occurrences in 2006, and assisted with several workshops including installing backyard wildlife habitats and pond installations.
She also had previously provided volunteer support to EPCAMR during an AMD tour in Luzerne County with youth from the Children’s Service Center from Wilkes-Barre that had not been previously exposed to many outdoor areas throughout the Wyoming Valley. Along with fellow interns, she harvested iron oxide from several AMD sites to use in an EPCAMR Anthrascapes AMD Art Exhibit and for educational outreach programs, including tie dye t-shirts and chalk.
Robert Hughes, Executive Director enthusiastically stated, “Leigh Ann comes to EPCAMR with a background that is sufficient for any intern to enjoys the outdoors, who already has a familiarity with abandoned mine drainage, is someone who doesn’t mind mucking around in orange water and getting her hands dirty, and enjoys spending time with our area youth educating them on water quality and ways in which they can help through volunteer efforts, such as community cleanups.”
Leigh Ann will be designated as the Illegal Dump Site Cleanup Specialist intern for the Winter and early Spring 2010 working 10-15 hours a week helping EPCAMR to plan for the Spring 2010 Cleanups once the snow and ice recede. She will be seeking community volunteers, neighborhood groups, and college students from the Wyoming Valley to participate in these future cleanups. She’ll be preparing press releases, seeking grant opportunities, and working to put together a small display on illegal dumping on abandoned mine lands and the hazards it presents, working with our state-wide partners, PA Cleanways and the PA Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Waste Management.
“I look forward to helping clean up the Wyoming Valley and exposing as many people as possible to the beauty of our area as a reason why history should not be repeated. Keeping garbage out of our streams, keeps future generations safer in our scenic part of Pennsylvania.”
|
|
Press Releases: STAGE IS SET FOR EPCAMRs AMD AVENGERS TO BE AN INTERACTIVE COMEDY
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact Robert E. Hughes-EPCAMR for details
570-371-3523
September 2, 2009
STAGE IS SET FOR EPCAMR’s AMD AVENGERS AND POLLUTION POSSE TO BECOME AN INTERACTIVE THEATRICAL COMEDY AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION SKIT AT GREATER NANTICOKE AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
(Nanticoke, PA) EPCAMR has once again been able to secure a PA Partners in the Arts Grant Program from the PA Council on the Arts and the Scranton Area Foundation to support our environmental education and outreach to local schools on mining impacts in our region. EPCAMR was recently informed that our application for funding was approved for $1408, around half of what was originally requested, nevertheless, a substantial amount to assist us with the development of a theatrical comedy skit and performance involving 4th grade students that will educate them on abandoned mines, anthracite coal, water pollution, mine drainage, land reclamation, and the work of EPCAMR to restore our watersheds and reclaim our land previously impacted by mining. The funds will be used for set and costume designs. Props will be used and created to enhance and make the students more aware, symbolically, of the meanings and representations of various themes of the skit. A project will be purchased to project large colorful pictures of mine drainage, coal mines, mine water, fossils, volcanoes, geologic eras, dinosaurs, swamps, and other images of abandoned mines and real people in our communities making a difference to clean up our environment. A mini-microphone system will be used to narrate the skit and a fog machine will add a fun and cool element of swamp bogs during the times of the dinosaurs to the stage. EPCAMR will probably be looking for a sponsor to help us print up a booklet similar to a PLAYBILL to introduce the audience to the students, their roles, parts, and EPCAMR.
EPCAMR will be receiving its grant award along with other 2009 grant recipients at a celebration and media event on Thursday, September 17 , 20009, at 5:00PM at The Scranton Cultural Center’s Masonic Temple, in downtown Scranton.
The project will entail the creation of backdrops and set designs based on EPCAMR’s hugely popular AMD Activity Book, “The AMD Avengers vs. The Pollution Posse”.
The skit will bring nearly 30 pages from the Activity Book to life on stage. EPCAMR is going to partner with the Greater Nanticoke Area 4th Grade Elementary Class to cast its first production. It is anticipated that it can then be taken to other school districts and potentially nature camps, and performed as a part of our environmental education and outreach programs. Many students will get to become actresses and actors for the skit. The idea is to engage and involve the student body audience as well with interactive role playing and decision making processes based on educational activities and learning experiences contained with the Activity Book.
The students will get to read lines, narrate, act, act silly, come up with impromptu mannerisms for the characters in the Activity Book and make people laugh.
There are several interactive games that will be incorporated into the skit used by EPCAMR in many outdoor field settings in the past. We are hoping to do a dress rehearsal before school lets out in the Summer, possibly for the student body, and maybe at the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, if the space is available. A play book for the production will be produced by the students of the Greater Nanticoke Elementary 4th Grade as well.
EPCAMR is reaching out to The Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, Arts YOUniverse, Costumes by Barbara, Bloomsburg University’s Drama Department, and the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble for volunteer assistance and guidance in creating the unique and creative set designs, backdrops, props, and costume designs. We are also going to encourage the parents to get involved by helping their children create some of the small props that will be assigned to them as a part of the set designs that EPCAMR will be building and creating.
EPCAMR hopes to teach the students how to artistically express themselves, make fun of themselves, and create a fun and educational learning atmosphere based on the combination of art, science, the environment, and local mining history. EPCAMR will evaluate the project by having the students fill out a questionnaire towards the end of the project as to whether or not they enjoyed the experience and learned significantly more information about the impacts of abandoned mines in their community as a result of our program. EPCAMR is targeting the underserved school districts in Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties for the effort and are hoping to expand it into the region once all of the bugs are worked out of the skit.
Robert emphasized, “The Greater Nanticoke Elementary School District has always been receptive to any grants or educational programs that EPCAMR could bring to its students over the last 5 years or more, whether it was AMD Tie Dye T-shirts, creating Iron Oxide Chalk, or Watershed Education Tours on AMD. Dr. Scott, one of the school’s principals has always welcomed EPCAMR into its school district with open arms and has been very accommodating to scheduling the programs with EPCAMR. The teachers that we’ve worked with over the years really have enjoyed our Programs and seem to like having us come back from year to year. I can’t see them turning down another great opportunity to continue to educate the students in our community when mine drainage is the worst pollution problem the entire school district is surrounded by in the Newport and Nanticoke Creek watersheds.”
State government funding for the arts depends upon an annual appropriation by the Commonwealth of PA and support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. PPA is administered in this region by the Scranton Area Foundation.
|
|
Press Releases: EPCAMR AMD AVENGERS AND POLLUTION POSSE CHARACTERS EMERGE FROM ACTIVITY BOOK
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: ROBERT E. HUGHES-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; 570-371-3523
SEPTEMBER 1, 2009
EPCAMR MINE DRAINAGE AVENGERS AND POLLUTION POSSE CHARACTERS EMERGE FROM THE ANTHRACITE REGION’S ACTIVITY BOOK COME TO REAL LIFE
(Ashley, PA) As Executive Director and co-creator of the “AMD Avengers vs. The Pollution Posse” Activity Book and the characters and story lines that are contained within the book, during the Fall 2008, upon receipt of the Scranton Area Foundation’s Project Partners for the Arts Project Stream $1691 in funding, EPCAMR began to work with our volunteer AmeriCorps position, Carly Trumann, and co-worker, Mike Hewitt, to think about ways to bring mining history back to life for our youth. EPCAMR has done hundreds of elementary-aged environmental education and arts programs for dozens of school districts across the Anthracite Region over the last 13 years on abandoned mines, mining, geology, biology, aquatic biology, art, and volunteerism in our communities.
Robert reminisced, “back in 2003, I came up with the idea that we needed to be creative in our approach to teaching kids about mine drainage and abandoned mine reclamation, so that it wasn’t technical and super-scientific. We wanted to make our environmental education programs fun, interactive, and exciting, with hands-on learning and outdoor experiences that were related to the local abandoned mine impacts to their watersheds. Mike and I thought it would be awesome if we could get funding to create an activity and coloring book based on different coal mining, water quality, biology, science, and land reclamation themes. Plus, we really wanted to become super heroes for the environment related to the line of work that we were in. What’s the chance of there being any other comic book super heroes fighting for water quality on Northeastern PA’s abandoned mining landscapes? Not even Captain Planet has stopped by!” We worked with several artists and graphic design friends of ours to begin to put the character designs and their traits on paper and it eventually led to EPCAMR purchasing the outright copyrights on all of the characters we created in the activity book, “The AMD Avengers vs. The Pollution Posse” at that time.
Prior to Halloween 2008, EPCAMR was working with a well-respected artist in the Wyoming Valley, and good friend of Robert’s, Kathleen Godwin, another resident of Plymouth Township, and collaborator for the creation of Arts ,a href="http://www.artsyouniverse.com/18.html">YOUniverse, Wilkes-Barre, where a mansion full of talented artists live, teach, work, and inspire other young artists alike. It is the goal of Arts YOUniverse to develop inexpensive art programming for each member of the community. She had assisted EPCAMR with pulling together a two week AMD Anthrascapes Art Exhibit several years ago where we had over 50 artists create pieces or artwork that contained iron oxide in one format or another.
Robert recalls, “I remember meeting Kathleen in 2006, when I was completing my Leadership Wilkes-Barre classes and she had this string with a notepad hanging from the ceiling of Arts YOUniverse where she had told community leaders from the class to sign, if they ever had a passion for art and wanted to make a connection through her. She said she would do her best to make our wishes come through. I signed up and said that I eventually wanted to secure funding to put a comedy play or theatre performance based on our Anthracite AMD Activity Book and create costumes for all of the characters and the stage settings. Not even a year and a half later, after helping EPCAMR to come up with ideas for the grant, we were prepared to submit the application to the Scranton Area Foundation for funding to begin designing costumes and coming up with a draft skit. She came through for me big time! She is one of my most favorite inspiring artists in the Valley.
Although the grant took some time to develop and honing in on a potential funding source, she suggested that EPCAMR talk with Barbara Gavlick, another local artist and costume designer from Luzerne. EPCAMR took her advice quickly and followed up. EPCAMR had initially made contact with Barbara just before the Halloween rush, so we decided after talking on the phone that we would meet up to discuss EPCAMR’s ideas for costume designs for many of the characters that are in our Activity Book, in the late Fall, around Thanksgiving.
After Thanksgiving, EPCAMR took a trip to her Costume Shop on Main Street in Luzerne, and had a wonderful and exciting time going over some great ideas for each of the characters. Robert exclaimed, “You could see the wheels spinning in our heads as we started to come up with fresh and creative designs! We were all smiles at that point.” She wanted to think about things over the Christmas Holidays and meet back up with EPCAMR after the New Year. She asked EPCAMR to write up some of our costume ideas and get them to her in the meantime, which we did.
EPCAMR is sure that if she hadn’t been so busy in the Fall 2008 with the Halloween Season, which was obviously her busiest time of the year, we may have been able to get a few more characters completed with this project before it closed. However, she was able to complete 8 costumes out of the 14 main characters. She left the 4 hardest ones until the end of the project, which were the D-9 Bulldozer, Gobba ‘da Pile, the Limestone Cowboy (Robert’s costume) and Dolomite (Robert’s horse), Swampy (Robert’s co-worker -Mike) and Wart (Mike’s Bull Frog). EPCAMR is going to complete them under a separate project funding stream request.
In June 2009, Barbara was able have EPCAMR pick up the following 5 characters: Fe Rock, Mang Rock, & Silt Rock (The Toxicity Trio), Coal Face, and Filamentous Algae. We began using the Toxicity Trio at a Nature Camp this summer at Hickory Run State Park and the kids loved the costumes. In early August 2009, we were able to pick up 3 more costumes: Brooky the Trout, Pyrite O’Brian, and Al Floc. Towards the end of the month, EPCAMR Staff made a trip to the Salvation Army, where we thought it would be most appropriate to purchase our additional clothing accessories and props for as many costumes as possible and give back to another local charitable non-profit organization in the community. With a puzzled expression on his face, Mike said, “We were like two kids in a candy store with about $100 and we couldn’t even spend it all, yet our cart was full. We got every kind of clothing accessories you we could think of in all kinds of colors. We’re talking colors of the rainbow!”
The skits have been morphed into an idea by Robert to become a comedy play that we’d like to perform on-stage with a willing elementary school from the area, complete with sets, backdrops, additional props, narration by the kids, art in motion, and local children playing each of the characters on stage that will have silly mannerisms and an interactive presence with the kids that aren’t in the actual play. We have gotten a commitment out of a local elementary school principal from the Greater Nanticoke Area’s 4th grade class to participate and we will be following up with the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre for assistance and receiving set design volunteer assistance from a Theatre Group from Bloomsburg University, where we have a tie, through our most recent summer Environmental Education Specialist Intern, Kyra Norton.
  
|
|
Press Releases: EPCAMR Looking for Volunteers to Participate in Wyoming Valley Cleanups
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact Robert Hughes-EPCAMR Executive Director
or Leigh Ann Kemmerer Illegal Dump Site Cleanup Specialist for details
570-371-3522 or 570-371-3523
Wyoming Valley Watershed PRIDE (People Reaching Into Dumps Everyday) Upcoming Cleanup!
Volunteers Needed!
EPCAMR would like to continue its effort in cleaning up Northeastern PA’s illegal abandoned mine land dump sites and other trash-filled locations, and is looking for your help and community-wide organizations to participate! Within the next few months we will be seeking volunteers to join us in ridding Luzerne County’s Wyoming Valley, of trash, tires, garbage, household hazardous wastes, demolition debris, and other discarded items located at several illegal dump sites throughout the Wyoming Valley. The work will range from painting over graffiti filled walls with anti-graffiti paint, building community gardens, preserving the historic Avondale Mine Disaster location, to removing thousands of tires from old coal flats near the floodplain to mountaintop stripping pits located right alongside of township roads.
EPCAMR received a $16,000 grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Waste Management in April 2009 and is awaiting a fully executed contract before proceeding with work over the late Summer and into the early Fall 2009. In advance of the work beginning, EPCAMR would like to obtain volunteers (Church Groups, School Clubs, Scout Troops, Boys and Girls or any other community organization or resident that is interested in taking PRIDE in their community) to assist with cleanups. EPCAMR has partnered with dozens of local community groups to secure the funding to work on at least 5 locations throughout the Wyoming Valley.
Gloves and garbage bags are all provided by PA DOT. PA CleanWays has been a partner of EPCAMR’s over the years and has educational materials that we will be able to provide to community residents to prevent future dumping incidents from occurring. EPCAMR has a 12 year history of conducting community cleanups with volunteers throughout the Anthracite Region. EPCAMR’s relationships are strong with these community groups because the majority of the dumping that goes on in the heart of the Northern Anthracite Region is in their backyard, apathy is high, access to sites is unlimited, policing of the sites is virtually non-existent, and it is where there is a need to change the mindset of local folks that illegal dumping should not be tolerated.
Robert Hughes, EPCAMR Executive Director emphatically stated, “We don’t accept the mentality that it is alright to dump household wastes wherever you desire just because the landscape has been scarred once. We’re trying to teach our children that this is an unacceptable behavior and it is a quality of life issue for our residents, their community, their health, their childrens' future, and ultimately, the environment. EPCAMR would like to promote the PA CleanWays Adoption Program with local governments and community groups to establish additional signage to make dumpers more aware that people are going to become more vigilant and on their guard in the future.”
Come join us at a site near you! EPCAMR would really like to recruit additional volunteers for our Cleanups to increase our volunteer base within the Wyoming Valley for future restoration projects in other communities to build upon our earlier successes.
Become a volunteer with Leigh Ann Kemmerer, EPCAMR's Illegal Dump Site Cleanup Specialist who has assisted with the organization and coordination of this season's cleanups. It is unbelievable the amount of work that EPCAMR has been able to get done in partnership with all of the volunteers in the Anthracite Region. EPCAMR has a hands-on approach to getting the job done and they work side by side with local residents and youth to actively take part in restoring PRIDE to many communities throughout the Wyoming Valley. EPCAMR is very well-established and respected by many community leaders.
Cleanups will be taking place at the following locations:
1. Pennsylvania Avenue & Dana Street in Wilkes-Barre, along the outside bend of the train tracks
2. Hick’s Creek illegal roadside dump along EPCAMR’s natural stream channel design project along Schooley Ave, Exeter Borough
3. Canal Street Floodplain Area behind the old Apex Auto in West Nanticoke
4. Two small illegal strip mine pits dump sites on Curry Hill and Smith Row in Plymouth Township
5. Avondale Mine Memorial site located just off of Route 11 along the future Susquehanna Warrior Trail, Plymouth Township
If you would like to offer a hand, contact Leigh Ann Kemmerer or Robert Hughes at 570-371-3522 to learn how to sign up and get notified of when the cleanups will occur. Dates have not been set just yet, but volunteers can expect to work for at least a 4 hour shift to assist with any of the cleanups. See details on www.orangewaternetwork.org or EPCAMR’s Facebook page for upcoming dates. Just search for EPCAMR on Facebook and become a fan.
EPCAMR is also registered with Disney's "Give a Day Get a Disney Day" program.
Give a Day Get a Disney Day Website
Enter our Zip Code (18706) and either Community or Animals and Environment in the Volunteer Opportunity Interest Area box to sign up for a free ticket to Disney!
|
|
EPCAMR Goes Green with Orange Chalk Talks
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact Robert Hughes-EPCAMR Executive Director
or Kyra Norton-EPCAMR Environmental Ed. Intern for details
570-371-3522 or 570-371-3523
Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation has taken large efforts towards cleaning up local streams affected by abandoned mine drainage throughout the Anthracite Region. Staff and interns from EPCAMR have developed alternative beneficial uses of Iron Oxide that is being recycled after harvesting, extraction, and drying from the Lackawanna and Susquehanna River tributary streams. A very popular program developed by EPCAMR is making recycled Iron Oxide chalk with local elementary students from what was once a pollutant in our local streams. Recent chalk programs with local schools were sponsored in part by the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resourced and the National Park Service. Funding from this grant allowed EPCAMR to reach out to over 1,400 students in 6 months and teach them how they can help in EPCAMR’s efforts to restore streams impacted by past mining practices.
LHVA granted EPCAMR $500 which went towards chalk molds, plaster of Paris, the printing of the chalk boxes created by the EPCAMR Staff and cups. These supplies were then used at several local schools to create the Iron Oxide Chalk. Robert E. Hughes, Executive Director of EPCAMR and author of the successful grant stated enthusiastically, “The Iron Oxide Chalk making process is relatively simple. Add dried Iron Oxide powder to a Dixie cup half full of Plaster of Paris, add tap water, and mix until smooth. Kids then can choose any kind of mold to pour to create the chalk which usually takes a few hours to set up and harden. Kids chose from molds that looked like stars, fruit, sports, fossils, trees, hearts, frogs, flowers, smiley faces, lady bugs, and peace signs. The grant paid for dozens of molds which can also be used for making chocolate candy. Sometimes, the kids want to eat the chalk because they look like candy, but we strongly advise against the temptation”, he says with a laugh.
The first program sponsored by the LHVA grant was with elementary aged students from Wilkes-Barre Boulevard Townhomes at the John B. McGlynn Learning Center for Martin Luther King Jr’s Holiday where approximately 23 kids participated. During Earth Week the chalk program was also conducted with 75 college students from Luzerne County Community College. On Earth Day, EPCAMR conducted another chalk program at Wilkes-Barre Riverfront Park with nearly 1,000 students from dozens of school districts in the area. There was a chalk program conducted at Bear Creek Elementary Charter School’s After School Program, Luzerne County, with 12 students. EPCAMR also reached out to Greater Nanticoke Area Elementary School where the entire 3rd grade class consisting of 200 students participated in an Iron Oxide Chalk Talk Program. Another program conducted through the LHVA grant was with John Marshall Elementary 4th Graders in Scranton, PA where 60 students participated. EPCAMR even got 25 Wilkes University Freshmen students involved in making chalk for EPCAMR while learning about service learning and volunteer opportunities with our non-profit organization.
Some of the chalk made at these programs was then donated back to EPCAMR. Some was donated back to the students who made the chalk, while the rest was donated to Malikar High School, overseas. Malikar High School is a new school opening in Afghanistan where EPCAMR has a friend in the Army who is helping to rebuild Afghanistan schools and infrastructure. A 10 pound box of Iron Oxide chalk containing over 1000 pieces has been donated to Malikar High School as an opening gift for the school and will be presented to the students during their dedication of the school Summer 2009. Students who participated in the Chalk Programs were told about the chalk donation to Malikar High School and were glad they could help other children who had no chalk or resources to learn.
EPCAMR expresses our greatest appreciation to all those who participated in our Iron Oxide Chalk Programs and a special thank you goes to the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the National Park Service for sponsoring these efforts to help clean up our streams by recycling the iron oxide by making chalk and conducting other children’s activities. EPCAMR plans on continuing to do the Iron Oxide Chalk Talk programs when school starts in the Fall 2009.
One 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Haarmeyer, from John Marshall Elementary, stated, “Thank you, Mr. Hughes, once again, for presenting to our 4th grade class. We welcome your return in the next school year, for the original program as well as AMD Tie Dyes. You take pollutants and transform them into an educational, artful experience for children. You were able to weave your scientific and geological knowledge of Northeastern PA into an exciting journey. Every 4th through 6TH grade student in the Lackawanna Valley should be encouraged to attend one of your AMD Iron Oxide Chalk Talks. Every business that relies on clean tap water should be encouraged to support Mr. Hughes’ Project at EPCAMR.”
|
Posted by admin on Thursday, 02 July 2009 (13:41:00) EDT (330 reads)
(Read More... | Score: 5)
|
|
|
Coalition Designs GIS Application to Target Abandoned Coal Mine Hazards
|
|
Abandoned Coal Mine Reclamation Group Promotes GIS in Pennsylvania
Abandoned coal mines cover hundreds of thousands of acres throughout eastern United States. As such, having accurate maps of them is important to keep those involved in their clean-up spatially informed. In Pennsylvania, a regional non-profit abandoned mine reclamation group is promoting a state-of-the-art GIS mapping tool to assist in the reclamation of mined-out land. The tool has proven successful in maximizing the limited funds available for restoring this blighted land to its approximate pre-mined state.
As late as thirty years ago, coal mine companies weren't required to restore the land they excavated. However, as the impact of surface mining became evident in the mid 1970s, Congress passed the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA). SMCRA attached a per-ton fee to all extracted coal to create an interest-accruing federal reclamation fund. The fund is maintained by the United States Office of Surface Mining (OSM) and is dispersed to states and tribes who still have problems caused by coal mines abandoned before 1977.
With newly enacted legislation which extended the SMCRA program at the federal level, Pennsylvania will be ramping up their reclamation program to spend $1.4 billion of reclamation funds over the next 15 years. Since restoring mined-out land is a complicated, expensive process—and thousands of abandoned mines still await reclamation—$1.4 billion dollars needs to go a long way.
Knowing that reclamation funds need to be stretched, the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR) sought funding from multiple sources. With a grant from the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, PA Department of Environmental Protection’s 319 Non-Point Source Pollution Program and a Memorandum of Understanding from OSM’s Technical Innovation and Professional Services Program, EPCAMR used ArcGIS to create a tool to keep track of abandoned mines called the Reclaimed Abandoned Mine Land Information System (RAMLIS). RAMLIS creates highly detailed maps at different scales with layers of information that help identify the areas most in need of remediation. RAMLIS also combines state, federal and local data in maps that reveal all the components of the mine such as mine discharge points, backfilled stripping pits, and reclaimed mine shafts. To work safely and effectively, reclamation crews must know the location of these features. Knowing the location of flooded voids, for example, can potentially save enormous expense—and even lives.
RAMLIS is contained on one CD-ROM. The CD includes shapefiles, layers, map documents which can be opened in ArcMap, and published map files that can be opened in ArcReader. Using both of these ESRI Programs, allows EPCAMR to maximize the distribution of the tool since ArcReader is available as a free download from the ESRI website. Any discrepancies or updates by to EPCAMR’s current version of RAMLIS can be submitted to EPCAMR for inclusion on future versions. The ability to allow an individual to zoom in and look directly into his/her backyard, local watershed, or municipal boundary without being a GIS analyst in ArcReader and not be worried about making edits or changes to the EPCAMR RAMLIS CD was an important selling point in using the program.
The dynamic, interactive maps assist reclamation efforts because they allow the public and local municipality to understand what features are contained within a mine site and which features can be fixed using SMCRA funding. Map layers show a multitude of problems caused by leaving mines unattended. For example, water quality running off these sites is identified in a layer from the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) called the Integrated List of Waters. This layer shows streams that meet (or do not meet) their intended use because pollution from the seepage of mining byproducts into the stream. By turning on this layer, users can see certain sections of stream that are impacted by mine drainage of heavy metals such as iron or aluminum into the stream. This toxic discharge from this runoff decreases the pH to uninhabitable levels for aquatic organisms.
RAMLIS is also useful for civic management/land development. Elected officials can add their layers to this system for further analysis of the problem (e.g.,. input a tax parcel layer to examine neighborhoods for economic impacts because of local mine hazards). Local and county planning commissions use the program as a tool for land-use planning, storm-water, floodplain management, and a host of other development-related issues. The tool contains road centerlines, municipal and county boundaries, watershed boundaries, full-color aerial photos, and land-use datasets as background data.
GIS helps municipalities, as well as state and federal officials, by providing concrete evidence of potential health and safety hazards such as subsidence-prone areas. “Pollution from residual coal mine chemicals, illegal dumping, and land cave-ins are a real concern to some of these communities,” said Hughes. "GIS gives us the best solution to identify and respond to these problems on a local level."
In August, EPCAMR staff showcased the RAMLIS Tool at the ESRI International User Conference in San Diego, CA in front of an audience of about 50, including the Assistant Director for the U. S. Department of the Interior and several Office of Surface Mining Officials. The OSM offered to provide EPCAMR with ArcServer, through their current MOA, to publish the tool online.
"Finally, I don't have to make so many CDs and mail them to partners." said Michael Hewitt, EPCAMR Outreach Coordinator. "The ability to place the tool up on the web will allow us to reach a much larger audience and streamline the distribution process."
To date, approximately 22,500 acres of mine lands in Pennsylvania have been cleaned up and more than 280 mine drainage treatment systems are in place to treat polluted water. EPCAMR hopes their tool continues to spread the GIS message to other organizations. Check out the important work of EPCAMR on their website at www.orangewaternetwork.org.
|
Posted by admin on Friday, 22 August 2008 (13:33:06) EDT (714 reads)
(Read More... | Score: 5)
|
|
|
Stream Improvement Information Sought
|
|
by Andy McAllister, Watershed Coordinator
updated by Michael Hewitt, Outreach Coordinator
Do you have a stream that you think has improved due to a pollution abatement project ? If you do, we need your help. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Non-point Source Program has enlisted the aid of EPCAMR and WPCAMR to help find those improved streams across Pennsylvania.
The information you provide will assist PA DEP biologists in their efforts to target specific streams for a biological reassessment. If the stream or a segment of the stream has indeed improved, PA DEP could consider it for removal from the list of impaired waterways in the Commonwealth.
The list of impaired waters (formerly known as the 303(d) list) is now part of what is called the "Integrated List". Impaired waters are those waterways that are not meeting their "designated use", in other words, the biological community in those streams is adversely affected by AMD, sediment, or any number of other pollutants.
Designated uses are those uses specified in the state's water quality standards for each water body or segment whether or not they are being attained. An example of a designated use in Pennsylvania is "CWF", meaning a Cold Water Fishery, capable of sustaining a healthy cold water biological community (eg. a stream where trout live and reproduce). Removal of a stream or stream segment from the impaired waters list is a concrete way of showing that pollution reduction projects are having a positive impact on our streams.
If you are in the EPCAMR Region and think you have a stream or a segment of a stream that was impaired and is now not, we invite you to share what you know by filing out the information form at the "Cantidate Stream for Reassessment" page. Water quality information showing the improvement is a plus, please forward this to Michael Hewitt, hardcoal@epcamr.org. By sharing your information, you can help direct state efforts to locate recovered streams and remove them from the list.
|
Posted by admin on Tuesday, 15 April 2008 (17:30:10) EDT (770 reads)
(Read More... | Score: 4.5)
|
|
| |
|
Postal Address...
|
EPCAMR Office
101 South Main Street
Ashley, PA 18706
Phone: (570) 371-3522
Directions
|
|
OSM / VISTA Watershed Development Coordinator
|
Wren Dugan
(570) 371-3522
wdugan@epcamr.org
|
|
Please enter "EPCAMR" as your charity.
|
Check out our Western PA Counterpart!!
|
|
|
|
