Cooperative Agreement S22AC00022

PROGRAM: NOT-FOR-PROFIT ACID MINE DRAINAGE (AMD) RECLAMATIONAWARD PURPOSE: FUNDING ASSISTS LOCAL QUALIFIED NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO BEGIN ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO IMPROVE THE WATER QUALITY OF STREAMS IMPACTED BY AMD. LANDS AND WATER ELIGIBLE FOR RECLAMATION OR DRAINAGE ABATEMENT EXPENDITURES UNDER SECTION 404 OF PUBLIC LAW 95-87 (THE ACT), AS AMENDED, ARE THOSE WHICH WERE MINED FOR COAL OR WHICH WERE AFFECTED BY SUCH MINING, WASTE BANKS, COAL PROCESSING, OR OTHER COAL MINING PROCESSES, EXCEPT AS PROVIDED FOR UNDER SECTION 411 OF THE ACT PRIOR TO AUGUST 3, 1977, AND FOR WHICH THERE IS NO CONTINUING RECLAMATION RESPONSIBILITY UNDER STATE OR OTHER FEDERAL LAWS.ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: TO DATE, TWO TREATMENT SYSTEMS, LAUREL RUN #1 (2001) AND LAUREL RUN #2 (2005) HAVE BEEN INSTALLED TO ADDRESS AMD ISSUES IN LAUREL RUN, A TRIBUTARY TO THE MAINSTEM OF BLACKLICK CREEK THAT ENTERS JUST UPSTREAM OF JOSEPHINE, PA. WATER MONITORING OF LAUREL RUN HAS DEMONSTRATED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN WATER QUALITY DUE TO THE TWO PASSIVE SYSTEMS. WHILE IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO PROLONG THE LIFE OF THE 20-YEAR-OLD SYSTEM THROUGH STIRRING OF THE EXISTING TREATMENT MEDIA AND PERFORMANCE OF OTHER MAINTENANCE IN THE SHORT-TERM, BASED ON THE EXISTING DESIGN AND PAST MAINTENANCE ISSUES, THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION IS TO REHABILITATE THE SYSTEM AND POTENTIALLY IMPROVE THE DESIGN BASED ON THE MOST RECENT UNDERSTANDING OF PASSIVE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY. IN ADDITION, THE SYSTEM CAN LIKELY BE EXPANDED TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF DISCHARGE TO BE TREATED WITH LESS FREQUENT EPISODES OF UNTREATED WATER REACHING THE STREAM. THIS PROJECT WILL DESIGN, PERMIT, AND REHABILITATE/EXPAND THE LAUREL RUN #1 PASSIVE TREATMENT SYSTEM. CONSTRUCTION WILL FOCUS PRIMARILY ON RECONFIGURING TWO OF THE EXISTING VERTICAL FLOW PONDS AND EXPANDING A THIRD. NEW PIPING AND TREATMENT MEDIA WILL BE INSTALLED.EXPECTED DELIVERABLES OR OUTCOMES: THIS PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO REHABILITATE THE LAUREL RUN #1 PASSIVE TREATMENT SYSTEM. ONCE COMPLETED THE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO TREAT AN ESTIMATED 55 MILLION GALLONS OF AMD PER YEAR RESULTING IN THE NEUTRALIZATION OF OVER 50,000 LB/YEAR OF ACIDITY AND THE PREVENTION OF ABOUT 3,000 LB/YEAR OF IRON AND 4,000 LB/YEAR OF ALUMINUM FROM ENTERING LAUREL RUN, WHICH IS IDENTIFIED AS AN IMPAIRED STREAM ON THE PENNSYLVANIA INTEGRATED WATERS REPORT. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: RESTORING THE TREATMENT SYSTEM WILL HELP TO MAINTAIN THE IMPROVEMENT GAINS TO THE WATER QUALITY AND AQUATIC LIFE IN LAUREL RUN. THE NEW SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO DISCHARGE BETTER WATER QUALITY MORE CONSISTENTLY THAN THE EXISTING SYSTEM, WHICH SHOULD LEAD TO FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS.SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES (IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT TIME OF AWARD): N/A