Learn about acid mine drainage and discuss the future of Rush Creek

For Immediate Release

New Lexington, Ohio — Join Rural Action Wednesday, Nov. 16, from 5:30-7 p.m. at The Pizza Place, 100 W. Broadway, New Lexington, for a public community meeting to learn about the history of acid mine drainage treatment successes in the region and to find out what the possibilities are for similar work to be done in Rush Creek.

The Rush Creek watershed drains over 230 square miles that includes almost 6,000 acres of land with abandoned surface and underground mines.

Federal regulations, in 1977, mandated the restoration of coal mining sites. However, much of the mining that occurred in the areas we work in concluded before those regulations took effect. In Rush Creek, almost nine square miles of land are potentially unsafe to build on and are leaching pollutants into the streams that flow through communities and backyards.

Approximately 12 miles of Rush Creek are considered biologically dead and are impacting the health and redevelopment opportunities of the communities downstream.

At this community meeting, made possible with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, we’ll discuss what’s been done, what’s currently working, and what the potential is for working in the Rush Creek watershed. Help us answer: What does cleaner water in Rush Creek mean for you and your community?

Rural Action is a regional community development organization with a 32-county footprint working with members and community leaders on a range of quality of life, environmental, and economic projects across rural Appalachian Ohio. Its mission is to build a more just economy by developing the region’s assets in environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable ways. Learn more about Rural Action at www.ruralaction.org

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CONTACT
Caitlyn Park
Watershed Program Manager
caitlyn@ruralaction.org
(740) 677-4047 ext.360