By Erica Peterson
Louisville, KY – Nearly $47 million in federal money will be available to reclaim abandoned mine land in Kentucky. The commonwealth announced the funding yesterday. The money is from the federal Abandoned Mine Lands fund, which includes fees levied on each ton of coal mined. It will go to reclaim lands which were abandoned prior to the federal surface mine law, which went into effect in 1977.
Kentucky is receiving $9.2 million more this year than it did last year. The money goes to the most critical projects which are in danger of harming people or the environment.