Pennsylvania Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Hold Mine Owners Accountable for Cleanup
Two Pennsylvania congressmen unveiled legislation requiring mine owners to pay for environmental cleanup of abandoned operations that continue polluting waterways.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA — Two Pennsylvania representatives announced a three-bill legislative package Tuesday aimed at requiring mine owners to take financial responsibility for environmental damage caused by abandoned mining operations.
U.S. Reps Chris Deluzio (D-17th District) and Summer Lee (D-12th District) unveiled their proposal on Mount Washington in Pittsburgh, where Pennsylvania coal was first mined in 1760. The lawmakers said their legislation addresses a growing crisis of “zombie mines” that continue polluting waterways and endangering public safety long after operations cease.
“Western Pennsylvania and other coal communities powered our country for decades, but the industry left behind a lot of dangerous and polluting, ‘zombie mines,'” Deluzio said. “It is time to clean up the mess they left behind.”
Federal Funding Reduced for Mine Cleanup
The announcement comes approximately one week after the U.S. Department of the Interior announced funding allocations for abandoned mine land remediation. Pennsylvania will receive $229.4 million this year, representing about $15 million less than the state received in 2025.
The reduction follows federal legislation that diverted about $500 million from the mine cleanup fund for other uses as part of a budget package that President Donald Trump signed earlier this year. The reallocation directed funds toward wildfire management and National Forest Service operations.
Environmental Groups Criticize Fund Transfer
Environmental advocates criticized the fund transfer, arguing that Pennsylvania’s coal regions would feel the impact despite the commonwealth receiving the largest share of available funds. Critics characterized the reallocation as a raid on the trust fund established by the 1977 Surface Mine Reclamation Act.
The Surface Mine Reclamation Act serves as the primary federal law regulating the environmental impact of coal mining. The legislation requires mine operators to restore mined land and places a fee on mined coal to fund cleanup work at mines abandoned before the law’s enactment.
Legislative Package Details
The three-piece legislative package proposed by Deluzio and Lee focuses on creating financial accountability measures for mine owners. The bills aim to prevent future environmental damage while ensuring resources remain available for cleanup operations at sites where mining companies have ceased operations without proper remediation.
Pennsylvania has struggled with environmental legacy issues from decades of coal mining operations across the state. The proposed federal legislation would strengthen existing requirements for mine operators to address environmental impacts before abandoning mining sites.
The lawmakers chose Mount Washington for their announcement to highlight the historical significance of coal mining in Pennsylvania and the ongoing environmental challenges facing communities throughout the commonwealth’s coal-producing regions.
