NEWS RELEASE / September 2026

EPCAMR marks its milestone 30^th anniversary,

 seeks community support to further improve 'Coal Country'

DRUMS – The nonprofit Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR) marked its milestone 30^th anniversary with a celebratory event on Sept. 19, drawing nearly 100 friends and supporters who value its ongoing work to improve landscapes and lives.

The event at Sand Springs Country Club included remarks by David E. Hess, former secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection and owner of PA Environment News LLC.

“I want to congratulate (EPCAMR) on all that you have accomplished,” said Hess. “You're a critical part of restoring Pennsylvania's environment, and I know that will continue.”

During the evening event, EPCAMR presented Hess with its inaugural “Elevating the Environment Award.” It was a recognition not only of Hess's longtime career as a public servant in the conservation field but also his efforts as editor of the PA Environment Digest to raise public awareness about issues impacting the state's air, land, and water.

Dr. Joe Simons III, a Kingston resident and president of EPCAMR's Board of Directors, set the tone for the event by reminding attendees of the organization's “remarkable” track record. 

“EPCAMR was born out of a simple idea: that the legacy of coal mining did not have to be the legacy of polluted water, scarred lands, abandoned mines, and communities left to deal with those problems on their own,” he said.

Bobby Hughes, a Wilkes-Barre native and EPCAMR's founding executive director, offered an overview of the organization's startup and highlighted a few of its many successes over the past three decades. 

Among its most recent accomplishments, he said, EPCAMR led a multi-year reclamation project in Swoyersville Borough. The project resulted in about 25 acres of former abandoned mine land being improved, including nearly seven acres that borough officials plan to adapt for recreation and athletic fields.

Cristy Sweeney, a Hazleton-area native and chairwoman of EPCAMR's Development Committee, recognized and thanked the anniversary event's nearly 40 sponsors. She also let the audience members know their financial contributions will likely be used to establish an endowment fund to provide EPCAMR with a reliable stream of income long into the future. “This is a team effort, and we can use all of the help we can get to continue the momentum for the next 30 years,” she said.

EPCAMR is a small but impactful nonprofit organization based near Wilkes-Barre. Its mission is to encourage the reclamation and redevelopment of land affected by past coal mining practices.

To fulfill its mission, EPCAMR:    

• Manages large-scale projects to reclaim abandoned mine lands so that owners can use the properties for new purposes, helping to boost the     economy.
• Reduces the amount of mine-polluted water that enters the region’s streams, where it can discolor water, kill fish, and deprive residents of recreational opportunities such as fishing and boating.
• Provides professional services such as water quality monitoring and GIS mapping to businesses, local governments, and nonprofits.
• Converts old coal mine maps into electronic versions that can be widely shared.
• Beautifies communities by conducting cleanups of illegal dumpsites.
• Shares environmental education lessons at schools, festivals and other sites.
• Reclaims iron oxide – a pollutant commonly found in abandoned mine drainage – and processes it into a pigment that can be used in artists’     paints, ceramic glazes, and jewelry.

EPCAMR, which has largely been sustained over the years by government grant funding, recently adopted a strategy to strengthen its financial condition.

Individuals and businesses can assist by donating money or material goods; sponsoring EPCAMR’s conferences and activities; promoting environmental education through a Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) partnership with EPCAMR; and contributing major gifts such as cash, securities, and real estate (developed or undeveloped). 

To support EPCAMR or learn more, visit epcamr.org.

Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation

101 South Main Street

Ashley, PA 18706

Phone: (570) 371-3522

Website: www.epcamr.org