Results: Annual Reports are available on our website on our homepage
Target demographics: underserved coal region communities, low income children in Eastern PA, areas impacted by abandoned mine lands and streams polluted by abandoned mine drainage
Direct beneficiaries per year: 200,000
Geographic areas served: Eastern PA'S Anthracite and Northern Bituminous Coal Regions
Programs: ConservationDistricts in Northeastern PA fully support the EPCAMR Program, the directionand leadership role taken by the Schuylkill Conservation District from 1997 -2001, the Luzerne Conservation District from 2001-2009, and now EPCAMR the501(c)(3) nonprofit in the EPCAMR Region. EPCAMR now administers the PA DEPSection 319 Grant on behalf of all of the sponsoring Conservation Districts inits 16 County coverage area which has greatly enhanced, encouraged, and allowedfor the EPCAMR Program staff, namely Robert E. Hughes, Executive Director, andMichael A. Hewitt, Program Manager, who have 18 years experience between them addressingabandoned mine reclamation problems and solutions. Notwithstanding is the yearsof experience and leadership that have been filled for many years by thevolunteer board of the Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation thatspans 12 active counties throughout Northeastern and North Central PA.
TheEPCAMR Program Staff maintain and continue to build strong working relationshipsstate-wide, with Conservation Districts, local governments, state and federalofficials, as well as other regional non-profit organizations and schools anduniversities to support abandoned mine reclamation in PA. The WatershedOutreach Coordinator is under the direct supervision of the Executive Director.
The EPCAMR Program Staff provides education,outreach, and support to local watershed organizations, local governmentleaders, volunteer monitoring programs, watershed managers and coordinators,Conservation Districts, governmental agencies, and the general public workingon AMD/AML to expand and enhance the PA watershed approach to water management,assessment, restoration, and protection of PA’s natural resources. The EPCAMR Program Staff continue to enhance the working relationshipbetween EPA, OSM, DEP, MunicipalGovernments, Non-Profits, and Watershed Organizations and County Conservation Districts in Eastern PA to addresswater quality and aquatic habitat problems caused by abandoned mine drainage (AMD).
The EPCAMR Program Staff have filled a much needed gap related to AMDremediation efforts, watershed assessments and implementation planning andrivers conservation planning in mining impacted watersheds and have providedsupport to redevelop and reclaimabandoned mine lands (AML), provide technical assistance, education andoutreach programs, community development, project coordination, and projectmanagement roles that is truly a one of a kind professional support base in NortheasternPA for the last 13 years and is only mirrored by its counterpart sisterorganization in Western PA, WPCAMR.
