Sen. Brown and Rep. Brown Join Interior Secretary Haaland to Highlight Pollution Cleanup Jobs Created by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Press Release

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and U.S. Representative Shontel Brown (OH-11) joined U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, White House Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu, and Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga to discuss the good-paying jobs that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will create cleaning up abandoned mine land and plugging abandoned oil and gas wells in Ohio.

"All of us here today are committed to making these cleanup projects translate into good-paying, union jobs. There are so many opportunities for Ohio workers. And I'm going to be working to make sure Ohioans get their fair share -- or more -- of this bipartisan infrastructure investment," said Sen. Brown. "We can put tradespeople to work. We can revitalize local economies. We can invest in communities that have been overlooked and left on their own by Washington for far too long."

"One of my first votes after taking office was for President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, because I knew our District and state would see immediate impact," said Rep Brown. "We now have a real opportunity to protect public health and advance environmental justice by tackling the climate crisis and high levels of pollution and contaminated water."

Haaland and Landrieu announced nearly $4.7 million for Ohio and more than $144 million for states and Tribes for abandoned mine land (AML) reclamation efforts in fiscal year 2022. This is in addition to the more than $300 million over five years Ohio will receive to create new reclamation and restoration jobs cleaning up abandoned mine land and orphaned oil and gas wells. This investment was made possible through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Brown helped to write and pass.

"Hardworking coalfield communities helped power decades of economic growth for our country. But those same families bear the brunt of hazardous pollution, toxic water levels, and land subsidence long after coal companies have moved on," said Secretary Haaland. "President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes critical investments to help clean up legacy pollution as part of our all-of-government approach to revitalize these communities as they address the lingering impacts of extractive industries. I am grateful to Senator Brown and the federal, state, local and labor leaders who joined us today to discuss how federal resources and partnerships will make a difference and create jobs in communities across the state."

"President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will create good-paying jobs and economic opportunity -- especially for workers in energy communities," said White House Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Landrieu. "By reclaiming abandoned mine lands, we will improve local water quality, reduce flooding, address environmental justice and create new potential for clean energy projects, all while providing good-paying jobs for the very people who worked in these mines."

Abandoned mine land reclamation projects will close dangerous mine shafts, eliminate highwalls, reclaim unstable slopes, treat acid mine drainage, and restore water supplies damaged by mining. Work on orphaned wells -- former oil and gas wells that have been abandoned by industry -- includes plugging the wells, which are a safety hazard, and can be filled with dangerous chemicals and emit methane. Tens of thousands of Ohioans live within a mile of one of the more than 81 thousand documented orphaned oil and gas wells across the country.

These investments are a promise to Ohio communities that they will receive resources to clean up their communities, and spur economic revitalization.

"Senator Brown's leadership in supporting the bipartisan infrastructure bill continues to pay off for Ohioans. We look forward to working with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in advancing these needed projects," said Burga. "Funding for these projects will enable and benefit all Ohio communities while providing, good, family-sustaining union jobs. We are grateful to Senator Brown and the Ohio congressional delegation that voted for the Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act.".

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