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REMEMBERING THE INCREDIBLE LIFE OF LOUISE DUNLAP
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the incredible life of Louise Dunlap.
A native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Louise was a dedicated advocate for coal communities, our environment, and especially the reclamation of our historic abandoned mine lands.
Louise's career began with the grassroots, advocating for more support for the environment and Pennsylvania's mine lands. In 1972, Louise cofounded the Environmental Policy Institute and the Environmental Policy Center. There, she spent years working to pass legislation to support mine reclamation in Pennsylvania and was an important advocate for the passage of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.
This law created the first Federal standards on the reclamation of new and subsequent surface mining. Importantly, it also established the Abandoned Mine Land Trust, which was created to provide consistent funding for the reclamation of coal mines that were abandoned prior to the law's enactment in 1977.
For over 40 years, this trust has been the central funding source for the reclamation of abandoned mine lands in 20 States, generating over
$11.6 billion since its creation by Congress.
Beginning in 2004, she joined the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, where she continued her life's work. In 2006, she again played a key advocacy role when Congress authorized the AML for an additional 15 years.
This September, the Abandoned Mine Land Fund is set to expire. The trust must be reauthorized in order to continue opportunities in funding to clean up these un-reclaimed lands, not only in Pennsylvania but around the country. Congress has the opportunity to do right by our coal communities by reauthorizing this fund and also expediting the release of the existing balance.
Reauthorizing the AML was a project close to Louise's heart. She fought for coal communities up until her final days. She spent the last few weeks continuing to secure support for the reauthorization of the Abandoned Mine Land Fund.
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In Pennsylvania, there are over 5,500 miles of streams polluted due to legacy mining, and over 280,000 acres remain toxic. Nationwide, the unfunded liabilities exceed $12 billion, with $5 billion in Pennsylvania alone. Louise made it her mission to work toward restoring these areas.
My district alone has the most abandoned mine land in the country. I understand the urgency in reauthorizing the AML fund, which is why I am an original cosponsor of the RECLAIM Act and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act Amendments of 2021 with fellow Pennsylvanian, Representative Matt Cartwright. We both worked closely with Louise on this act.
Louise Dunlap was an inspiring force as she spent her life advocating to reclaim and revitalize former mining communities. She was a friend and marshaled key legislation victories over the span of a 50-year career.
In honor of her legacy, it is important that we continue her life's work and continue to support our historic coal communities.
My heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Louise Dunlap. She was so fiercely passionate, and she will be greatly missed.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 110
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