The award, totaling $2,252,855, will be used for the reclamation to pre-mining conditions of 181 acres at abandoned minesites in Butler, Cambria, Clarion, Jefferson and Luzerne counties.

Crews will plant trees, re-grade steep slopes left by mining, stabilize old mine pits and shafts and prevent acid mine drainage totaling more than 75,000 gallons daily from reaching waterways.

“Coal mining fueled the nation’s economy for many years but it left Pennsylvania a legacy of sites in need of remediation,” DEP active and abandoned mine operations deputy secretary John Stefanko said, adding that the work would take place over the next 18 months.

“Our aggressive program is reclaiming these sites from scarred earth to the condition that they once were.”

The specific project locations include:

• Parker township, Butler County – $289,301 to reclaim 33.5 acres
• White township, Cambria County – $261,587 to restore 21 acres
• Farmington township, Clarion County – $321,626
• Union township, Jefferson County – $350,000
• Plymouth township, Luzerne County – $1,030,341.

The DEP contracts were awarded on a competitive basis and would be paid via a federal Office of Surface Mining grant supported by the state’s mining tax.