'Stay Out - Stay Alive' Program Highlights Dangers of Active, Abandoned
Mines
SMITH TOWNSHIP, WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa., May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- The idle equipment, steep cliffs, serene pools of water, and mysterious
shaft openings of active and abandoned mines can be alluring for adventure
seekers, but many times are deadly, according to Department of
Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty.
The secretary visited an abandoned strip mine in Joffre today that is
less than 10 feet from the Pan Handle Trail--a popular recreation spot in
the community--to warn residents to stay out of mines, quarries and
abandoned mine lands because of the many dangers these sites can hold.
"There are thousands of abandoned sites just like this across
Pennsylvania with steep cliffs, hidden underground mine openings and
dangerous water bodies," said McGinty. "Mines are not safe places for
swimming, exploring or off-road riding. When you venture into these sites,
you put your life and the lives of emergency personnel who conduct the
search and rescue operations at risk."
McGinty's remarks kicked off the 2008 "Stay Out - Stay Alive" campaign
to warn people about the dangers of trespassing in mines and quarries.
Since 2000, 31 people have died trespassing in mines and quarries in 19
Pennsylvania counties. The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration
(MSHA) reports that 249 people have died nationally during that same
period.
To combat this problem, DEP has partnered with MSHA, other mining
states and the mining industry to promote the Stay Out - Stay Alive
program.
"Pennsylvania has been blessed with great mineral resources, and mining
has been a cornerstone of our economy for more than 200 years, but the
unregulated mining practices of the past have left us with one-quarter
million acres of dangerous and deadly mine lands," said McGinty. "Every
year we hear of more tragic accidents: swimmers drowning in abandoned
water-filled pits where water temperatures drop dramatically just below the
surface; people entering abandoned mines or dilapidated structures and
getting lost or trapped; and all-terrain vehicle riders breaking through
brush on the crest of an old mine site and rolling down a hillside.
"Be safe this summer. Mines and quarries are not playgrounds; they can
kill you. Stay out and stay alive."
DEP recently began airing 30-second radio and television messages
across the state as part the campaign to underscore the dangers of
abandoned mine sites and quarries. The department conducts educational
programs for community groups and distributes Stay Out - Stay Alive
information to those receiving hunting and fishing licenses through the
Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Fish and Boat Commission.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources also distributes
Stay Out - Stay Alive information with all off-road vehicle and snowmobile
registrations and to users of state parks and forests.
Additionally, DEP works with state and local police and emergency
responders to identify and limit access to dangerous sites.
Pennsylvania has the largest abandoned mine lands problem in the
country. Approximately 1 million Pennsylvanians live within one mile of a
dangerous abandoned mine, while active mining operations are found in all
but one of Pennsylvania's 67 counties.
Since 2003, Governor Edward G. Rendell has committed more than $145
million to 240 abandoned mine reclamation projects across Pennsylvania,
turning more than 6,100 acres of dangerous wasteland into opportunities for
economic growth and improved quality of life.
The $625 million Growing Greener II initiative allocates $60 million to
clean up rivers and streams affected by abandoned acid mine drainage and
reclaim dangerous sites.
Governor Rendell was instrumental in persuading Congress to reauthorize
the Abandoned Mine Lands Fund for another 15 years. The federal program,
which is funded by a tax on modern mining activities, will direct $27.6
million to Pennsylvania during 2008 to reclaim abandoned coal mines.
For more information on abandoned mine reclamation, or to view the
public service announcement, visit http://www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: Stay
Out Stay Alive.
CONTACT: Tom Rathbun
(717) 787-1323
SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
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Related links:
http://www.depweb.state.pa.us
CONTACT:
Tom Rathbun of Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection, +1-717-787-1323
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