White Valley Update

Murrysville Area Watershed Association (MAWA) has submitted a $2.1M grant request to

the Pennsylvania DEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation to document site

conditions, collect and analyze data required for engineering, and develop final engineering

design specifications for a proposed active mine water treatment plant in Export, PA.

The site, in the Upper Turtle Creek Watershed, receives contaminated mine water from the

Export #1, Export #2, and Delmont Mines located in Westmoreland County. The mines are

categorized as abandoned mine lands (AML) because they ceased operations prior to the

1977 Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) legislation which holds

operators accountable for any environmental impacts related to mining operations.

The mines discharge a combined 3,000 gallons per minute (gpm) of contaminated water,

causing the watershed to exceed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) total maximum

daily loads (TMDL) for contamination from acidity (low pH), iron, and aluminum.

Mine discharge remediation will reduce the impact of acidic mine drainage (AMD) sources

on the watershed, resulting in improved water quality, ecological function, and recreational

aesthetics of the Upper Turtle Creek Watershed.

The current grant application will complete the engineering and design phase of the

project. The implementation phase of the project is expected to be completed by 2030 (?)

and will parallel the Westmoreland Heritage Trail, providing recreational opportunities

alongside ecological function.

Grant awards are expected to be announced in late 2025.

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