The AMR Conference Planning Committee is developing a great conference program! Here is a list of approved presentations in no particular order. Stay tuned for more…
Opening Keynote: Nate Houtz. PA DEP Deputy Secretary for Active and Abandoned Mine Operations
Nathan Houtz serves as the Deputy Secretary for Active and Abandoned Mine Operations. As Deputy Secretary, he oversees the Bureaus of Mining Programs,
Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Mine Safety, and District Mining Operations. Nathan began his career with the Department in 2002 as a Professional Geologist with the Pottsville District Mining Office. He continued his career in Pottsville as the Environmental Group Manager supervising the permitting section from 2007 to 2017. He then moved to the Moshannon District Mining Office as the District Mining Manager from 2017 to 2022. From there, he moved to Harrisburg and served as the Director of the Bureau of Mining Programs from 2022 to 2024. Nathan has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geology from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.
“Economic & Environmental Benefits of the PA Coal Refuse Reclamation to Energy Industry”, Jaret Gibbons, ARIPPA
In 2025, ARIPPA will be releasing an updated report prepared by Econsult Solutions, a Philadelphia-based economic consulting firm, analyzing the economic and environmental benefits of the coal refuse reclamation to energy facilities in Pennsylvania. The new report incorporates recently conducted research on the air emissions reductions realized by the industry. This presentation will focus on the results of the soon to be released study. Jaret has served as the Executive Director for ARIPPA for 7 years. He received a Bachelor’s degree in political science & business administration from Duquesne University; Law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law
“Benefits of AMLER Project Partnerships”, Jim Panaro, Robindale Energy
Summary overview of AMLER projects Robindale has completed or has currently in progress and lessons learned in process with BAMR and other project partners.
Stineman – Cambria County, Kerbaugh Road – Blair County, Thompsontown – Clearfield County, Tide – Indiana County (This project list may be revised). Jim is the current Vice President of Robindale energy, where he has worked for 24 years. He has over 35 years of experience in the industry and graduated from Pennsylvania State University.
“BAMR Accomplishments and Future Priorities”, Joe Sassaman, PA DEP
Presentation will highlight significant reclamation projects from 2024 and discuss future reclamation priorities of the bureau. Joe is the Assistant Bureau Director for PA DEP’s Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (BAMR). He has 17 years of experience with BAMR and has an MS in Geoenvironmental Studies, LPG.
“Critical Mineral Recovery from Acid Mine Drainage: A Path to Supply Chain Resilience”, Mohammad Rezaee, The Pennsylvania State University
Acid mine drainage (AMD) has long been an environmental concern, but recent research has revealed it as a potential source of critical elements, including rare earth elements (REEs), aluminum (Al), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), and manganese (Mn). Recovering these elements during AMD treatment not only addresses environmental compliance but also enhances process sustainability and strengthens domestic supply chains for critical minerals. The selective recovery of critical minerals during the AMD neutralization process is strongly influenced by solution chemistry, available ligands, and element concentrations. At Penn State, we have developed a patented staged-precipitation process that enables the selective recovery of these valuable elements while ensuring environmental compliance. In the first stage, iron (Fe) is selectively recovered through aeration-induced oxidation and pH adjustment. In the subsequent stages, Al and REEs are recovered via a two-step carbonate precipitation process at pH levels of 5 and 7. Finally, critical transition metals such as Co, Ni, and Mn are precipitated through a chemical-free ozone oxidative precipitation method. The precipitates from each stage can be further refined to produce high-purity products. This presentation will provide an in-depth discussion of the process, including optimization and kinetics, along with progress toward scaling up to a 1000-gallon-per-day treatment system. Mohammad Rezaee is Associate Professor of Energy and Mineral Engineering with , Pennsylvania State University for 8 years.
“PA DEP’s AML/AMD Grant Program Overview: Part 1 & 2”, Cindy Wolfe, PA DEP BAMR
This session will review Program guidance updates, Application for Reimbursement instructions, budget revisions, reporting requirements, and more. If you are a current grantee or plan applying in the future please attend. Cindy is the current Grant Program Manager for the AML/AMD Grant Program. She has worked for PA DEP for 25 years.
“Mosquito Creek Watershed Restoration: A Model for Acidic Stream and Watershed Restoration in the Pennsylvania Anthracite Coal Region”, Brian C. Bonner ,P.E. & Jacob E. Smith, E.I.T., ARM Group LLC.
This presentation will cover the design, implementation, maintenance, and monitoring of passive treatment systems for acidified stream conditions. Focusing on the combined effects of acidic deposition and unconsolidated mine discharges within the upper Swatara Creek watershed in Schuylkill County. Additionally, it will discuss stream restoration strategies in Pennsylvania’s coal regions prone to chronic and episodic acidification, while sharing key lessons learned and practical advice for professionals working in acid-impaired watersheds. Brian Bonner is a Senior Engineer with 23 years of experience in the industry and 12 years with ARM Group.
“Proactive Mine Pool Management: Implementing a Remote Telemetry Monitoring Network in Pennsylvania’s Bituminous District”, Scot May, PA DEP BAMR
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (DEP BAMR) is currently initiating a long-term monitoring program to address the challenges posed by deep mine pools in the bituminous district of Pennsylvania. These mine pools, remnants of extensive historical coal mining, present significant risks of blowouts, subsidence, and other adverse environmental impacts if left unmanaged. To enhance proactive readiness and improve mitigation strategies, DEP BAMR is establishing an innovative network of monitoring wells equipped with remote telemetry systems. This technology will provide real-time data on water levels, pressure changes, and other critical parameters, enabling immediate response to fluctuations indicative of potential hazards. The program aims to develop a robust dataset to predict trends and model behaviors within the interconnected mine pool systems. By integrating these monitoring efforts with geospatial analysis and predictive modeling, the initiative seeks to bolster the state’s ability to anticipate and prevent catastrophic events. This presentation will outline the program’s design, early implementation steps, and the broader implications for mine pool management in Pennsylvania and beyond. Attendees will gain insights into leveraging advanced telemetry for sustainable reclamation practices and enhancing community and nvironmental resilience in areas impacted by legacy mining activities. Scot May, P.G., Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Investigation Section
“New Grant Opportunities and Mentorship Programs”, Deb Nardone, Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds
The funding scene has changes quite dramatically over the past few years. Record investments for water quality improvements is now available to non-profits to solve complicated pollution problems once thought too expensive to fix. These funds also come with increased reporting, sometime complicated and confusing mandates, and ever changing requirements as agencies face mandates from the federal government. The Foundation for PA Watersheds (FPW) will present a few new grant opportunities and available training and mentorship programs to help local communities succeed in project implementation and leveraging large grants. Deb is the Executive Director for the Foundation of Pennsylvania Watersheds. She has spent over 30 years working on water quality issues. Deb has a BS from Juniata college in geology and political science, MS from Penn State in Environmental Pollution Control.
“Blacklick Creek – The Future Looks Bright”, Jon Smoyer and Ryan Farabaugh, PA DEP BAMR
In keeping with the conference theme, a review of the history of the coal mining in Vintondale and Wehrum and how it set the stage for the pollution and recovery of the Blacklick Creek will be presented. BAMR’s $28 million AMD Treatment Plant that began running in the spring of 2025 will be highlighted along with the beginnings of post treatment water quality data.
“The Economic Effects Restoring Mine-Impaired Waterways”, Jeremy Weber, University of Pittsburgh
This presentation will provide initial findings from a research project on the broader community economic benefits from restoration of mine-impaired waterways in Pennsylvania. This will include quantitative analysis of economic trends over 1990-2020 for communities (Census tracts) with low, medium, and high initial levels of impairment as well as for communities that have had substantial restoration over the 30-year period. The presentation will also cover perspectives gleaned from interviews with stakeholders in six watersheds across Pennsylvania. Dr. Weber is a professor at University of Pittsburgh, School of Public and
International Affairs. He has been at Pitt for 11 years and has a PhD in Applied Economics.
Request for Presentations
Currently, the AMR Conference Planning Committee is requesting proposals for presentations for this conference. Please use our Request for Presentations form to let us know you are interested and some information about your presentation.
We encouraged a wide range of topic submissions, including but not limited to:
- New abandoned mine drainage (AMD) treatment system technologies, tools, and products
- Construction case studies and lessons learned
- Land remediation, reforestation, and reuse
- Water quality monitoring
- Operations, maintenance, and rehabilitation of treatment systems
- Non-profit organization capacity issues
- Community involvement, special events, education, and outreach
- Coal mining history and heritage preservation
- Mapping, drones, equipment, and other helpful new technologies
- Legislative updates and concerns at all levels of government
- Economic redevelopment, health and safety, and quality of life topics
- Climate change, energy, and AMD
In the past, we have had such varied topics as the history of baseball in coal patch towns, prevention of Lyme disease, preserving collieries, computer software designed technologies, reauthorization of the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Fund, economic benefits of reclamation, abandoned mine land issues in Germany and Bolivia, the establishment and support of non-profit organizations, and everything in between. If your topic can be related to what our community does, we would love to consider it for the conference!
Submissions and questions should be emailed to Anne Daymut at anne@wpcamr.org.