In October, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and seven House Democrats wrote to the GAO to ask for a probe into such mines, which often qualify as active under the law while remaining unused for years and going without maintenance or scrutiny, potentially leaving the surrounding area vulnerable to leaks and other environmental hazards.
In an email to The Hill, a GAO spokesperson said it will act on the request, with a projected start date of March or April. The spokesperson added that the GAO cannot yet speak to the completion date — which it says hinges on what information agency officials allow access to — but said such investigations are typically finished within 14 months.
The Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center (ACLC), which has advocated for an investigation into the impacts of idled mines, praised the GAO announcement.
“We’re very pleased that Congress has recognized that there are many weaknesses in the coal mine reclamation and bonding system and this GAO study is an important step in helping us further quantify the issues that we’re experiencing,” ACLC Policy Director Rebecca Shelton told The Hill in an email.
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.
