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EARTH CONSERVANCY

Dedicated to reclamation, conservation and economic development in the Wyoming Valley

AMD TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES AND RECLAMATION OF MINE SCARRED LANDS

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EC – a brief history

Earth Conservancy was formed as a non-profit, 501(c) (3) corporation in 1992 by a group of citizens concerned about the future of dormant mine scarred lands in Luzerne County through partnerships with government, business and educational institutions and community organizations

In 1994 Earth Conservancy purchased 16,496 acres from the estate of the former Blue Coal Corporation, which had declared bankruptcy in the mid-1970s, with a $14 million federal grant and $2 million in private sector funding

The group’s mission was to reclaim and re-utilize former coal company-owned lands in ways that best served the local communities

The Land Use Plan addresses all of EC’s 16,496 acres. Completed in 1996, the Plan took more than 16 months to complete, included more than 38 participants representing 11 Luzerne County municipalities and was. The Plan recommended that approximately 10,000 acres be used as recreational and open space, approximately 2,200 acres for industrial development, approximately 2,800 acres for residential development, and other small amounts of acreage be used for commercial and institutional development. At the time of its completion, there was no other long-term comprehensive plan for the region.

To date, Earth Conservancy has reclaimed 1,663 acres at a cost of $31.4 million

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Vision and Mission StatementsVision Statement: EC will lead and partner with communities in the reclamation of mine-scarred lands and streams, returning strong economic, environmental and social value by creating a well-planned vibrant valley, protected by green ridge tops.

Mission Statement: Earth Conservancy is a non-profit organization committed to the reclamation and return of 16,000 acres of former coal company-owned land to the region. It collaborates with local communities, government agencies, educational institutions, and the private sector to spearhead the creation and implementation of plans that restore the land's economic, recreational, residential and ecological value.To achieve this objective, Earth Conservancy: Develops sustainable land-use plans Commits to provide 10,000 acres for recreation and open space Leads reclamation efforts of mine scarred lands and water resources and guides

their reutilization Funds its work through sale of Conservancy land and other resources and through

public and private sector partners Partners with local communities to achieve our mission Educates the community-at-large on environmental issues, the benefits of

reclamation and effective land-use planning.

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Land Use Planning

The Land Use Plan was completed in 1996

The Wyoming Valley Open Space Master Plan was completed in 1999

The Mixed Use Master Plan/South Valley Parkway Project was also completed in 1999

The Interstate 81 Exit 168/Route 115 Connector Road Master Plan was completed in 2003

The All-Terrain Vehicle Feasibility Study was completed in 2005

The Plymouth Township Land Use Feasibility Study was completed in 2006

The Reuse Analysis and Sustainable Redevelopment Framework for Earth Conservancy South Valley Corridor Lands was completed in 2008

The Hanover Crossings Phases 3 and 4 & Hanover 9 Land Use Plan was completed in 2012

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Land Use Map16,496 acres21 municipalities5 watersheds

Identified 3,000 mine-scarred acres that will cost an estimated $200 million to reclaim

Earmarked 2,200 acres for economic development; 2,800 acres for residential development; and 10,000 acres for open space

Proposed new transportation system that will create safer and easier access to community amenities, developable land and future reclamation sites

The Land Use PlanNote: all colored land parcels owned by EC• Green circle connotes initial reclamation

focus• Orange circle connotes secondary

reclamation focus• Red circle connotes future reclamation

focus

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Our lands included problems & potential

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The Greater Hanover Area Recreation Park

Before

After

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Huber 3 & Huber 4

After

Before

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Earth Conservancy Yard Waste Compost Facility

• Serves 16 Luzerne County Communities

• Processes 9K ton of material annually

• To date has processed 133,000 ton of material

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Watershed Reclamation – Espy Run Passive treatment system constructed in 1998 to treat

discharge along Espy Run, Tributary to Nanticoke Creek and Susquehanna River, funded by U.S. EPA and EC

2012 upgrade project added two ponds to the front end to improve iron removal, funded by U.S. EPA and EC

Pre- and post-construction data, taken by Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, shows:

1998 SystemTreated 500 gpm

Removed 60% ironRemainder bypassed

system and went directly into stream

2012 SystemTreats 770 gpm

Removes 90% ironTreats entire

discharge and releases into

stream

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Espy Enhancement Project

Pond and inlet construction

Completed

ponds and

diversion

channel

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Completed Espy Treatment System

Winner 2012 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence

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Askam Borehole AMD Treatment System

The Project was included in the Section 206 Ecosystem Restoration – Nanticoke Creek, Luzerne County, PA Detailed Project Report and Integrated Environmental Assessment report, completed in 2005, for which EC partnered with the DEP, DEP BAMR and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop. It included plans for the comprehensive restoration of the Nanticoke Creek Watershed. Report preparation cost $1 million. EC has pursued individual projects from the plan as funding becomes available.

$1 million project building on success of nearby constructed 2001wetland pilot project put out of service by Askam Borehole collapse in 2008

Newly drilled boreholes required an innovative approach to treatment due to small area for system

Use of Maelstrom Oxidizer™ allows for small footprint while enabling system to treat higher volume of effluent and short holding time with better iron removal results

Pilot project treated 500 gpm, while new system treats up to 7,500 gpm and injects air into water as it passes through units allowing for quicker dropping out of iron from water

Entire Nanticoke Creek passes through the oxidation units and into holding pond then is released back into creek

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How the Maelstrom Oxidizer™ works

Test Unit

Water flows via gravity or is pumped into one end of the unit (lower right)

As the tank fills, water fills the rows of air pressurized columns, injecting air bubbles into water

Air is injected into the water as it flows through the unit

Water exits the unit into a settling pond, where iron particle precipitate out of the water

The aeration process allows for a smaller pond and shortened settling time

Iron removal rate is 99% without the addition of any chemicals PA DEP inspections of units at the Penn Alleghany Coal Co. Maelstrom

Oxidizer AMD Treatment Site states that “the Maelstrom Oxidizer has been removing iron to NPDES and Pa. DEP limitations from the first day of operation without the addition of any chemicals.”

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Askam pre-construction

Aerial view shows project site, location of new boreholes and pilot site

Below is borehole, drilled after collapse of old borehole due to acid erosion

New borehole made of stainless steel

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Construction begins

Overview of small working area as seen from Route 29 and cross-section with Dundee Road, lower right.

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Heavy iron deposits

Effluent downstream of the borehole

Orange water and residue show presence of iron

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Working in tight space

Cleared area shows small area for oxidizer and settling ponds

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Early construction

Spillway to guide water into Nanticoke Creek

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Mid construction

View from Route 29 of constructed pond

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Mid construction

System in position Made up of three small units New system is able to handle up to 7,500 gpm, treating entire

borehole effluent

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Late construction

System in place with settling pond holding water

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Maelstrom Oxidizers™ at work Oxidizer filling and water flowing through system

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Pre- and post-construction

Water sampling is vital to showing success of project EPCAMR staffer Mike Hewitt samples water upstream of the borehole

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Earth Conservancy is dedicated to reclamation, conservation, and economic development in the Wyoming Valley