For generations, coal was the mainstay of Pennsylvania's economy. Legions of miners once tunneled beneath the earth and strip mined the hills and valleys to bring forth the black diamonds that fueled America's growth. The raw hands of breaker boys sorted coal and discarded waste leaving mountains of unwanted coal spoil known as culm, gob, or boney. The legacy of coal has led to thousands of acres of abandoned strip mines, more than a billion tons of mine refuse, and miles of watersheds degraded by acidic runoff. Abandoned coal mines and mine refuse piles generate many adverse impacts upon surrounding land and water: concentrated levels of acid mine drainage are released into local waterways; unstable waste piles may collapse and threaten the safety of nearby communities; the scenic and recreational quality of the landscape is ruined.

The reclamation efforts of ARIPPA members proceed in parallel with the removal of unsightly piles of coal waste.

Thanks to circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler technology, the mine refuse of yesterday is available as a useful fuel today. More than a dozen power plants in Pennsylvania and West Virginia use CFB boilers to consume millions of tons of culm and gob as fuel each year. These independent power plants generate approximately 10,000 gigawatt-hours of much-needed electricity annually.

Coal waste fuels ARIPPA boilers. Ash from the combustion process is used to backfill abandoned pits. This material is a mixture of fly ash, bottom ash, and limestone. The spent limestone renders the pH of the ash to levels ranging from 9 to 10. This material is graded, compacted, and then covered by topsoil and replanted with appropriate vegetation to finish the process.

The reclamation process reduces the amount of acid mine drainage and acidic runoff to groundwater, streams, and rivers. The new vegetative cover on reclaimed lands helps reduce erosion and prevent further exposure of pollutants to the soil. Safety concerns are eliminated. Uncontrolled fires are prevented. Reclaimed areas can be dedicated to new productive uses.

Hundreds of acres of abandoned stripping pits have been filled with the coal ash byproduct from ARIPPA member plants, saving state government millions of dollars in abandoned mine reclamation expense and acid mine water clean-up costs.