Did you know there are 48,529 abandoned coal mines in the United States which are known to pose a threat to the public and / or the environment? (skytruth.org)
Furthermore, the budget slashes funding for the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program's inland oil spill preparedness program by 80 percent, and cuts another $ 11 million from BLM as the agency aims to limit new cleanup efforts at abandoned coal mines, promising to remediate only the highest threats to clean water and public health. (priceofoil.org)
The toxic sludge is often stored in open impoundments (huge ponds) or injected into abandoned coal mines, causing major concern over drinking water contamination. (polluterwatch.org)