NEWS MEDIA ADVISORY Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative Partnership Sponsored by Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement U.S. Department of the Interior Date: Tuesday, October 22, 1996, 12:00 p.m. Place: Monday Creek Restoration Project Rock Run Refuse Pile near the Village of Shawnee in Perry County, Ohio (See Attached Directions) Event: Announcement of funding for Ohio's projects under the U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Surface Mining's Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative, to raise public awareness of Ohio's acid mine drainage (AMD) problem, and to recognize the impact local partnerships can make in addressing the problem. Confirmed Participants as of 10/10/96: Kathrine Henry, Acting Director, U.S. Office of Surface Mining Lisa J. Morris, Chief, Ohio Division of Mines and Reclamation Mary Ann Borch, Monday Creek Project Coordinator Mary Stoertz, Ohio University, Director of Appalachian Watershed Research Group, and Assistant Professor of Geology Partners of the Monday Creek Restoration Project: American Electric Power Company Army Corps of Engineers Athens, Hocking, and Perry SWCD Commissioners of Athens, Hocking, and Perry Counties Hocking College and National Environmental Training Cooperative Hocking River Commission Monday Creek Residents Natural Resource Conservation Service Office of Surface Mining, U.S. Department of the Interior Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mines and Reclamation Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Ohio University Rural Action U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior Among those invited to attend: Governor George Voinovich U.S. Congressman Frank Cremeans U.S. Congressman Robert Ney State Representative Mary Abel State Senator Nancy Chiles Dix State Representative Tom Johnson Donald Anderson, Director, Ohio Department of Natural Resources Neal S. Tostenson, Ohio Mining and Reclamation Association Buckeye Forest Council Huff Run Watershed Steering Committee Ohio Mineland Partnership Rivers Unlimited Rural Action Other government, industry, environmental, and local officials and individuals interested in the Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative Background: At this ceremony, Kathrine Henry, Acting Director of the Office of Surface Mining, will announce funding approval for the Appalachian Clean Streams projects in Ohio, and will formally present the funds for these clean-up activities to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mines and Reclamation. In 1994, the Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) began a program called the Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative. The purpose of this initiative is to clean up water resources impacted by acid mine drainage (AMD) resulting from unreclaimed abandoned coal mines. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified AMD as the most pervasive water quality problem in the Appalachian Region. This initiative is a collaborative program designed to bring together all interested parties from federal, state, and local levels of government, plus the private sector. To help the water resource restoration efforts of the States, OSM solicited candidate streams where remedial projects could be implemented to improve water quality. Based on those projects submitted by the States, the President included in his 1997 budget a request for additional funding specifically for a select group of Appalachian Clean Stream projects (13 projects in eight States). The Fiscal 1997 Omnibus Appropriations Act approved by Congress includes $4.0 million for the 13 projects. The purpose of this event is to raise public awareness of Ohio's AMD problem and the impact local communities can make in addressing these problems, and to announce funding approval for Ohio's Appalachian Clean Streams projects. Specifically, Ohio will receive approximately $650,000 for Appalachian Clean Stream projects. Monday Creek, a tributary of the Hocking river, is a highly polluted watershed, full of sulfuric acid mine drainage. The creek meanders for 27 miles, through Perry, Hocking, and Athens Counties. There are 3,200 acres of abandoned mine land and 15,000 acres of underground mines in the area around Monday Creek. Prior to mining in this area, Monday Creek was a rich aquatic environment. Streams in the area were once abundant with a diverse assortment of life. Captina Creek flows for 38.6 miles through Belmont County and portions of the stream are also adversely impacted by AMD. We are excited about the partnership and the community effort it represents. Federal, state, and local agencies, industry, environmental groups, local colleges, and private citizens are working together to restore water resources that have been adversely impacted by mining. This event provides the opportunity to highlight the positive efforts to correct the pollution caused by past mining practices, including acid drainage that has damaged many miles of Monday Creek. Contacts for Further Information: George Rieger, Field Branch Chief Office of Surface Mining, Pittsburgh 412-937-2153 Max Luehrs, Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative Representative Dan Schrum, Program Specialist Pat Murdock. Administrative Officer Office of Surface Mining, Columbus 614-866-0578 Sean McMahon, Special Assistant to the Director Office Surface of Surface Mining, Washington, D.C. 202-208-2708