(File Photo of Congressman Chris Deluzio)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) and Congresswoman Summer L. Lee (PA-12) announced today the introduction of a three-bill package aimed at addressing unreclaimed “zombie mines” — abandoned or idle coal mines that can pollute waterways and pose public safety risks.

The legislative package includes Deluzio’s Bond Improvement and Reclamation Assurance Act, Lee’s Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act and the Stream Protection and the Stream Protection and Vegetation Restoration Act, introduced by Congressman Don Beyer (VA-08).

According to the lawmakers, the bills are designed to strengthen mining bond requirements, protect waterways and ensure land is properly reclaimed after mining operations end.

Deluzio and Lee introduced the legislation during a joint press conference at the First Mining of Pittsburgh Coal historical marker on Mount Washington alongside environmental advocates and community leaders from coalfield communities across Pennsylvania and Appalachia.