WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Mike Bost (R-IL-12), Alex Mooney (R-WV-02) and Matt Cartwright (D-PA-08) introduced the Monitoring, Investigating, Navigating and Explaining Subsidence (MINES) Act to improve transparency into the federal government’s efforts to prevent coal mine collapses.
The bipartisan legislation would require the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) to provide a report to Congress on the agency’s efforts to prevent subsidence events and deal with local economic consequences of coal mine collapses. Doing so is an initial step toward expanding and improving prevention and response efforts.
Across the country, there are hundreds of thousands of acres of abandoned coal mines. When these mines are uninspected and left empty for decades at a time, they can collapse in a subsidence event, impacting and endangering communities built on top of them. In 2023, a coal mine collapsed underneath a grocery store in Belleville, Illinois, leaving the store closed and creating a food desert.
In Albers, Illinois, mine subsidence has displaced families when the foundations of homes have cracked and been destroyed. Additionally, in Fairmont, West Virginia, local organizations have had to pay to repair sinkholes on their property caused by mine subsidence. Luzerne, Pennsylvania experienced subsidence earlier this year, with homes being evacuated and roads being closed.
“In Central Illinois, we’ve seen firsthand the danger that mine collapses pose to our communities’ safety and livelihoods,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “A year since a mine collapsed underneath a Belleville grocery store, the store remains closed and folks continue to struggle to access nutritious food. From store, school and road closures to the displacement of residents from their homes, these events can be devastating. With millions of Americans living in close proximity to abandoned mines – including many of my constituents – it’s critical that we improve our understanding of how to prevent the subsidence of coal mines and make our communities more resilient in the aftermath.”
“Southern Illinois is coal country – mining is in our blood. Across my district there are many abandoned mines, left empty and uninspected. We shouldn’t wait for disaster to strike before taking action to prevent collapses or costly accidents,” said Congressman Bost. “This legislation will add more transparency and accountability from the government, requiring public reports on the state of our mines. I’m proud to support these reforms to provide the people of Southern Illinois the peace of mind they deserve.”
“West Virginia is a proud coal mining state, and we want to ensure our communities remain safe after the mines cease operations. I’m proud to sponsor the bipartisan MINES Act to have the Department of the Interior report to Congress on how we can prevent mine collapses and sinkholes like we have seen in Fairmont and Pineville,” said Congressman Mooney.
“Abandoned coal mines and mine subsidence are a risk to our communities, prevent economic development and pose environmental dangers,” said Congressman Cartwright. “That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to improve transparency into the federal government’s efforts to prevent subsidence events and ensure the safety and well-being of the residents of Northeast Pennsylvania.”
