Earth Conservancy is a nonprofit formed in 1992 to reclaim abandoned mine lands in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It has reclaimed over 1,600 acres at a cost of $31 million. Key projects include developing a land use plan, creating recreational parks, building a compost facility, and treating acid mine drainage. The document describes Earth Conservancy's history and mission, land use planning efforts, and examples of reclamation projects like passive treatment systems and constructing a new system using Maelstrom Oxidizers to treat water from the Askam Borehole.

1. EARTH
CONSERVANCY
Dedicated to reclamation, conservation and
economic development in the Wyoming Valley
AMD TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES AND
RECLAMATION OF MINE SCARRED
LANDS
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2. EC – a brief history
 Earth Conservancy was formed as a non-profit, 501(c) (3) corporation in
1992 by a group of citizens concerned about the future of dormant mine
scarred lands in Luzerne County through partnerships with government,
business and educational institutions and community organizations
 In 1994 Earth Conservancy purchased 16,496 acres from the estate of the
former Blue Coal Corporation, which had declared bankruptcy in the mid-
1970s, with a $14 million federal grant and $2 million in private sector
funding
 The group’s mission was to reclaim and re-utilize former coal company-
owned lands in ways that best served the local communities
 The Land Use Plan addresses all of EC’s 16,496 acres. Completed in
1996, the Plan took more than 16 months to complete, included more than
38 participants representing 11 Luzerne County municipalities and was.
The Plan recommended that approximately 10,000 acres be used as
recreational and open space, approximately 2,200 acres for industrial
development, approximately 2,800 acres for residential development, and
other small amounts of acreage be used for commercial and institutional
development. At the time of its completion, there was no other long-term
comprehensive plan for the region.
 To date, Earth Conservancy has reclaimed 1,663 acres at a cost of $31.4
million
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3. Vision and Mission Statements
Vision Statement: EC will lead and partner with communities in the reclamation of mine-
scarred lands and streams, returning strong economic, environmental and social value
by creating a well-planned vibrant valley, protected by green ridge tops.
Mission Statement: Earth Conservancy is a non-profit organization committed to the
reclamation and return of 16,000 acres of former coal company-owned land to the
region. It collaborates with local communities, government agencies, educational
institutions, and the private sector to spearhead the creation and implementation of
plans that restore the land's economic, recreational, residential and ecological value.
To achieve this objective, Earth Conservancy:
 Develops sustainable land-use plans
 Commits to provide 10,000 acres for recreation and open space
 Leads reclamation efforts of mine scarred lands and water resources and guides
their reutilization
 Funds its work through sale of Conservancy land and other resources and through
public and private sector partners
 Partners with local communities to achieve our mission
 Educates the community-at-large on environmental issues, the benefits of
reclamation and effective land-use planning.
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4. Land Use Planning
 The Land Use Plan was completed in 1996
 The Wyoming Valley Open Space Master Plan was completed in 1999
 The Mixed Use Master Plan/South Valley Parkway Project was also completed in 1999
 The Interstate 81 Exit 168/Route 115 Connector Road Master Plan was completed in 2003
 The All-Terrain Vehicle Feasibility Study was completed in 2005
 The Plymouth Township Land Use Feasibility Study was completed in 2006
 The Reuse Analysis and Sustainable Redevelopment Framework for Earth Conservancy
South Valley Corridor Lands was completed in 2008
 The Hanover Crossings Phases 3 and 4 & Hanover 9 Land Use Plan was completed in
2012
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5. Land Use Map
16,496 acres
21 municipalities
5 watersheds
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 Identified 3,000 mine-scarred acres that will cost an
estimated $200 million to reclaim
 Earmarked 2,200 acres for economic development;
2,800 acres for residential development; and
10,000 acres for open space
 Proposed new transportation system that will create
safer and easier access to community amenities,
developable land and future reclamation sites
The Land Use Plan
Note: all colored land parcels owned by EC
• Green circle connotes initial reclamation focus
• Orange circle connotes secondary reclamation
focus

6. Our lands included problems &
potential6

7. The Greater Hanover Area Recreation Park
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Before
After

8. Huber 3 & Huber 4
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After
Before

9. Earth Conservancy Yard Waste Compost
Facility
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• Serves 16 Luzerne County
Communities
• Processes 9K ton of material
annually
• To date has processed 133,000
ton of material

10. Watershed Reclamation – Espy
Run
 Passive treatment system constructed in 1998 to treat
discharge along Espy Run, Tributary to Nanticoke
Creek and Susquehanna River, funded by U.S. EPA
and EC
 2012 upgrade project added two ponds to the front
end to improve iron removal, funded by U.S. EPA and
EC
 Pre- and post-construction data, taken by Eastern PA
Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, shows:1998 System
Treated 500 gpm
Removed 60% iron
Remainder bypassed
system and went directly
into stream
2012 System
Treats 770 gpm
Removes 90% iron
Treats entire
discharge and
releases into stream
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11. Espy Enhancement Project
Pond and
inlet
construction
Complete
d ponds
and
diversion
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12. Completed Espy Treatment
System12

13. Askam Borehole AMD Treatment
System
 The Project was included in the Section 206 Ecosystem Restoration –
Nanticoke Creek, Luzerne County, PA Detailed Project Report and
Integrated Environmental Assessment report, completed in 2005, for which
EC partnered with the DEP, DEP BAMR and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers to develop. It included plans for the comprehensive restoration of
the Nanticoke Creek Watershed. Report preparation cost $1 million. EC
has pursued individual projects from the plan as funding becomes
available.
 $1 million project building on success of nearby constructed 2001wetland
pilot project put out of service by Askam Borehole collapse in 2008
 Newly drilled boreholes required an innovative approach to treatment due
to small area for system
 Use of Maelstrom Oxidizer™ allows for small footprint while enabling
system to treat higher volume of effluent and short holding time with better
iron removal results
 Pilot project treated 500 gpm, while new system treats up to 7,500 gpm and
injects air into water as it passes through units allowing for quicker dropping
out of iron from water
 Entire Nanticoke Creek passes through the oxidation units and into holding
pond then is released back into creek
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14. How the Maelstrom Oxidizer™
works
Test
Unit
 Water flows via gravity or is
pumped into one end of the
unit (lower right)
 As the tank fills, water fills the
rows of air pressurized
columns, injecting air bubbles
into water
 Air is injected into the water
as it flows through the unit
 Water exits the unit into a
settling pond, where iron
particle precipitate out of the
water
 The aeration process allows
for a smaller pond and
shortened settling time
 Iron removal rate is 99% without the addition of any chemicals
 PA DEP inspections of units at the Penn Alleghany Coal Co. Maelstrom Oxidizer
AMD Treatment Site states that “the Maelstrom Oxidizer has been removing iron
to NPDES and Pa. DEP limitations from the first day of operation without the
addition of any chemicals.”
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15. Askam pre-construction
 Aerial view shows project
site, location of new
boreholes and pilot site
 Below is borehole, drilled
after collapse of old
borehole due to acid
erosion
 New borehole made of
stainless steel
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16. Construction begins
 Overview of small working area as seen from Route 29 and
cross-section with Dundee Road, lower right.
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17. Heavy iron deposits
 Effluent
downstream
of the
borehole
 Orange water
and residue
show
presence of
iron
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18. Working in tight space
 Cleared area shows small area for oxidizer and
settling ponds
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19. Early construction
 Spillway to guide water into Nanticoke Creek
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20. Mid construction
 View from Route 29 of constructed pond
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21. Mid construction
 System in position
 Made up of three small units
 New system is able to handle up to 7,500 gpm, treating entire
borehole effluent
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22. Late construction
 System in place with settling pond holding
water
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23. Maelstrom Oxidizers™ at work
 Oxidizer filling and water flowing through
system
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24. Pre- and post-construction
 Water sampling is vital to showing success of project
 EPCAMR staffer Mike Hewitt samples water upstream of the
borehole
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25. Earth Conservancy is dedicated to reclamation,
conservation, and economic development in the Wyoming
Valley
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