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Report: Projects Could Repurpose, Cleanup Abandoned Coal Mines
By: Associated Press
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NORFOLK, Va. (AP) – A new report is highlighting ways to help cleanup and repurpose the sites of abandoned coal mines in Appalachia.
The report was released Tuesday and suggests projects that could be undertaken in states such as Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and Virginia. Those states are plagued by abandoned mining operations that were never cleaned up.
The report cites the example of a facility in Southeast Ohio that plans to use acid mine drainage to produce paint pigment. A site in Virginia is slated to become an outdoor adventure resort. A mixed agriculture and renewable energy project has been proposed at a former West Virginia strip mine.
The report was authored by the Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition. The group includes organizations such as Appalachian Voices in Virginia and Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center in Kentucky.