The Hidden Costs to the Community

Coal mining put food on the tables of many of our Pennsylvania ancestors, and was a major driver of our industrial heritage. Unfortunately, past practices left deep scars across the state that will haunt us for generations to come. Today's photo is of last week's deep mine burst in McDonald, Pa. (Washington County). Water began gushing into the streets at a rate of 10,000 gallons a minute, illustrating the environmental costs faced by current and future generations from past actions. According to the State Department of Environmental Protection there are hundreds of abandoned mines with water pools rising in western Pennsylvania.

Today these costs come to bear on taxpayers at a time when we can least afford them. A balance of human needs and environmental responsibility will ensure that we don't overspend on our natural resources.

One of the services of WPC's Watershed Assistance Center is working to mitigate and improve water quality damaged through past mining. For more information, contact the Watershed Assistance Center at (724) 459-0953. Another related resource is our morning tidbit from this past October, which focuses on the impact of acid mine drainage.

Today's photo by Steven Adams, Tribune Review, shows water streaming down McDonald Street in McDonald, Washington County. At present, the water continues to flow from the mine and is being routed by pumps to Robinson Run, a nearby stream. The impact of the burst is as yet to be fully determined, although a state of emergency has been declared in McDonald borough.

E-mail Today's WPC Daily to a Friend!

Sign Up for the WPC Morning Tidbit

Play "How Well Do You Know Your Western Pa. Trees?"
Play "How Well Do You Know Your Western Pa. Birds?"