AML Funds

Congress is currently considering an appropriations bill, H.R. 6938, that proposes to redirect funding for abandoned mine land (AML) reclamation provided under Section 40701 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to wildland fire management and Forest Service operations. As currently written, Pennsylvania would lose over $169 million for reclaiming and restoring its land and water affected by poor mining practices of the past, an estimated 6.27% reduction in funding. ARIPPA strongly opposes this proposed raiding of AML funds and recently submitted a letter to U.S. Senators Dave McCormick and John Fetterman urging them to reject this proposal. View a copy of the letter here.

Tariffs

The U.S. Department of Energy in 2025 designated coal used in steelmaking, including anthracite, as a critical material. Despite this designation, Pennsylvania’s anthracite producers are facing serious challenges due to unfairly priced imports, particularly from Peru, which are undermining the viability of this strategic domestic resource. ARIPPA recently submitted a letter to several federal officials in support for action under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act to impose a 100% tariff on imported anthracite coal. View a copy of the letter here.

Federal Tax Credit Legislation

Pennsylvania Congressmen Dan Meuser (R-PA-9) and Matthew Cartwright (D-PA-8) in October 2019 introduced H.R. 4735, the Mine Affected Community Energy and Environment Act, that would have provided coal refuse reclamation to energy facilities a performance-based tax credit for each ton of coal refuse the plants remove and use to generate electricity. Unfortunately, the bill never moved out of the House Committee on Ways and Means.

However, we would like to thank the following organizations and individuals that helped support our industry by sending a letter to their local legislator urging them to support H.R. 4735: