Governor Tom Wolf announced today that Pennsylvania has been awarded $244.9 million from President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to clean up abandoned mines across the commonwealth.

“We’ve long needed a solution to accelerate work to address the environmental and public health concerns of our legacy energy development, I’m pleased that the Biden Administration shares my commitment to reclaiming Pennsylvania’s abandoned mine-land for productive use,” said Wolf. “This bipartisan investment will address the dangers of abandoned mines while simultaneously supporting new, good-paying jobs, economic recovery, and community revitalization.”

While Pennsylvania’s more than 5,000 abandoned mines memorialize a period of great economic and industrial growth in the state and country, they’re now scars to Pennsylvania’s landscape with environmental and safety hazards. In addition to being at risk for fires, these abandoned mines have dangerous highwalls and open shafts and are sources for both water and air pollution.

The Wolf Administration looks forward to working with the Department of ​the Interior to put the resources announced today to work to enhance the state’s Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program and returning abandoned mine-land to productive use for things like recreation, farming, or clean energy production.

Today’s $244.9 million announcement is a small piece of the nearly $4 billion Pennsylvania is estimated to receive over the next 15 years to address contamination and pollution caused by its coal mining legacy.