Kentucky is receiving more than $74 million in federal funding to create jobs through the clean-up of historic mine sites.
Officials said the money will be used to clean hazards left by historic mining, such as subsidence, slides, open portals, refuse piles, and mine seam fires - all forms of legacy pollution.
Laura Daniel-Davis, Department of the Interior Acting Deputy Secretary, said the money will also be used to rebuild water infrastructure and address water supply issues.
“The reality is that legacy pollution like this continues to impact really too many of our waterways and our neighborhoods, and as I said, now we have the resources to together tackle these problems and keep communities safer,” said Daniel-Davis.
Daniel-Davis said projects that began with last year’s grant funding have already helped 15 counties preserve their land and rebuild infrastructure to better accommodate an ever-changing environment.
She said this year will see the introduction of a new effort, called the Appalachia Keystone Initiative.
“The launch of the department’s new Appalachia Keystone Initiative. This will attempt to address the critical intersection of climate change with the ecological, social, and economic needs of the region. So, it will be very focused on local partnerships and the keystone initiative will coordinate investments across the region to support communities,” said Daniel-Davis.
Daniel-Davis added that since legacy pollution from these historic mines impacts all of Kentucky, it’s important to cooperate with each other to get everything cleaned up.