Lawmakers, including two from Pennsylvania, are asking for a federal investigation into the full extent of environmental damage caused by what are known as “zombie” surface mines, which may technically still be considered active for coal extraction but have been idled for months or years and can leak toxic waste. For environmental and public safety reasons, coal mining companies are supposed to stabilize and repair damaged land surfaces as they mine and not wait until all their digging or blasting is done. But as the economy around coal mining has crashed over the last decade, giving way to wind, solar, and natural gas, mining companies have gone through bankruptcies, and environmental advocates have noticed delays in the kind of reclamation that federal law requires.
Zachary Mackenzie
Xavier Graduate
PPP and Political Science Major
Community Building Institute
248-639-0103