2-11-2009: RICHMOND– Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced the approval of $3.6 million in funding for public water projects that will service 207 homes in Dickenson, Buchanan and Tazewell Counties. The $3,621,944 in funding for two public water projects is the largest amount granted to date through Virginia’s Abandoned Mine Land (AML) program. Water supplies in both project areas were affected by pre-1981 coal surface mining activities.

“Thanks to Virginia’s Abandoned Mine Land program, thousands of families throughout Southwest Virginia coalfields have reliable supplies of clean drinking water,” said Governor Kaine. “Now, hundreds more households will join other families who’ve benefited from the program’s projects.”

Since 1984, the AML program has funded projects and collaborated with local, state, and federal agencies to ensure public water services for 7,805 households in the Southwest Virginia coalfields. Overall, more than $21.5 million in water replacement projects have been funded by the program in the coalfield counties. Virginia AML funds originate from reclamation fees paid by the state's coal industry while supplemental funding is raised by the coalfield public service authorities.

Today’s announcement means 153 residents in Dickenson and Buchanan Counties and 54 residents in Tazewell County will benefit from the extension of public water systems to their communities. One project covering portions of Dickenson and Buchanan counties and one project in Tazewell county have been selected for construction funding under Virginia’s AML FY08 and FY09 grants administered by the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy.

The Haysi to Big A Phase III Water Project will extend a public water system to 153 residents in Dickenson and Buchanan Counties and represents a continuation of a program providing clean drinking water to the residents of the counties. The project is the third phase of construction for the extension of public water service into the Haysi to Big A areas of Dickenson and Buchanan Counties. Additional funding for the project will come from the Department of Housing and Community Development, Coalfield Water Development Fund, Appalachian Regional Commission, Southwest Virginia Regional Water and Wastewater Construction Fund, Dickenson County and Buchanan County. AML funding for phase three is $2,359,770.

The Horsepen Water Extension Project will assist with the county's efforts to extend a public water system to 54 residents along the Virginia and West Virginia state line in the Horsepen section of Tazewell County. The project continues a program to address the need for clean drinking water in the Horsepen area of the County. Additional funding for the project will come from the West Virginia Abandoned Mine Land Program, Tazewell County and private funding from Mid-Vol Coal Sales, Inc. AML funding for the Horsepen Water Extension is $1,262,174.