A Citizen's Handbook to Address Contaminated Coal Mine Drainage

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A Citizen's Handbook to Address Contaminated Coal Mine Drainage

United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 3, 3WP12, Philadelphia, PA.
EPA-903-K-97-003, September 1997

This handbook is intended to familiarize citizens and grassroots groups with the history and chemistry of coal mine drainage (CMD) from abandoned mines.  Provides an overview of the step-by-step process of contaminated CMD clean-up and role that citizens and grassroots groups can play in that process. The steps include:

Step 1. Understanding Coal Mine Drainage
Step 2. Getting Organized
Step 3. Assessing the Watershed
Step 4. Understanding Clean-up Options
Step 5. Establishing a Clean-up Plan
Step 6. Finacing and Implementing Your Plan

It is not a technical or regulatory document: it is a guide for citizens who want to join with public agencies, universities, businesses, industry and other watershed stakeholders, to do something about CMD from abandoned mines in their watershed.

Download the entire documents

• A Citizen's Handbook to Address Contaminated Coal Mine Drainage (5.5 MB)

Download individual chapters

• Cover page, Table of Contents (273 KB)
• Section 1: Introduction(380 KB)
• Section 2: Step 1. Understanding Coal Mine Drainage (474 KB)
• Section 3: Step 2. Getting Organized (576 KB)
• Section 4: Step 3. Assessing the Watershed (704 KB)
• Section 5: Step 4. Understanding Clean-up Options (512 KB)
• Section 6: Step 5. Establishing a Clean-up Plan (534 KB)
• Section 7: Step 6. Finacing and Implementing Your Plan (663 KB)
• Appendix A. Glossary of Terms (187 KB)
• Appendix B. Information on the Federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (168 KB)
• Appendix C. Watershed Delineation Instructions (134 KB)
• Appendix D. Stream Quality Reporting Form (66.8 KB)
• Appendix E. Detailed Information on Treatment Technologies (669 KB)
• Appendix F. Matrix of Possible Funding Sources (229 KB)
• Appendix G. Fact Sheet on Frequently Asked Questions About OSM's Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative (ACSI) Funding (426 KB)
• References (301 KB)