HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 44
(By Delegate Frederick)
[Introduced April 2, 2001; referred to the
Committee on Rules.]
Urging the Congress of the United States to provide additional
funding from the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Fund to
improve water quality in West Virginia.
Whereas, In 1977 the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
was enacted into law establishing a fee collected on all coal
produced in the United States for the purpose of restoring
previously mined but unreclaimed lands; and
Whereas, To date over $1.2 billion has been deposited into this
Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Fund by the nation's active coal
industry; and
Whereas, Mining operations within the State of West Virginia to
date have contributed $312,338,607 to the Abandoned Mine Land
Reclamation Fund; and
Whereas, West Virginia has collected only $211,929,378 from the
Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Fund to finance the reclamation of
abandoned coal mine sites in the state; and
Whereas, Unreclaimed mined lands contribute to water quality
problems throughout the State that could be remedied through
efforts funded by the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Fund,
including efforts undertaken by the Rural Abandoned Mine Program;
and
Whereas, The expenditure of funds for abandoned coal mine lands
reclamation will not only significantly enhance environmental
quality in West Virginia but also create jobs in the construction
of such projects; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Committees on Appropriation of the United States
House of Representatives and the United States Senate are urged to
increase the annual appropriation from the Abandoned Mine Land
Reclamation Fund in order to begin a draw-down of the unspent
balance of the Fund for the purpose of enhancing water quality and
environmental conditions in the State of West Virginia; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward
a copy of this resolution to the President and Vice-President of
the United States, to the Governor of the State of West Virginia,
to each member of the United States House of Representatives and
the United States Senate and to the directors of the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement and the United States
Environmental Protection Agency.