Cong. Thompson calls for reauthorization of abandoned mine act

This afternoon Congressman Glenn Thompson visited the Andersen Creek Watershed in Clearfield County calling for the reclamation of over 100 acres of land.

A trust fund was founded in 1977 as a result of the Abandoned mine land reclamation act to restore abandoned coal mines.

According to Congressman Thompson, this district has more abandoned mine sites than the other 434 districts added together.

He said reclaiming the abandoned mine sites on the Andersen Creek Watershed is a top priority.

The same goes for Reed Johnson, a property owner here who's pushing for that funding.

He's owned property here on the watershed for 30 years and said he has been working tirelessly since to resolve this issue.

Johnson's received support from multiple state officials and agencies, and he hopes he'll be alive to see these mining sets reclaimed.

"We allow people to come out and hunt but it's a safety concern to get these high walls and get these open mine shafts closed up and out back into something besides the mess you see it in," said Johnson.

"This water is a water shed eventually it comes into backyards and neighborhoods and downtowns," Cong. Thompson said.

The DEP said it'll take years before this project is finished.