Pennsylvania DEP Chief Celebrates Plant Using Treated Mine Water to Generate Power

New Facility in Tioga County a First for Pennsylvania

ANTRIM, Pa., July 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mike Krancer today opened a valve allowing treated acid mine water from the Antrim treatment plant in Tioga County to power a turbine and begin generating electricity to run the facility.

"This micro-hydro plant is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania to use acid mine water to generate renewable energy while creating no air or water pollution," Krancer said. "It helps to solve an existing water pollution problem by using a treated waste product from past mining activities to generate energy."

The Babb Creek Watershed Association (BCWA) identified electric power production from the treatment plant discharge as one way to reduce the plant's operating costs and generate an additional revenue stream for the Antrim Treatment Trust, which was established by the Antrim Mining Company before it went out of business.