By Elizabeth Skrapits (Staff Writer)
Published: September 17, 2009

The nonprofit Earth Conservancy has received a prestigious award from the federal Environmental Protection Agency for work related to reclaiming hundreds of acres of mine-scarred land.

Ashley-based Earth Conservancy was one of 10 winners out of 60 finalists for the EPA's Mid-Atlantic Environmental Achievement Award, which was presented Tuesday at a ceremony in Philadelphia.

"We were really pleased. It's nice to be recognized for some of the things you do," Earth Conservancy Executive Mike Dziak said, adding, "It gives our partners and our board of directors a good feeling about the work we've done over the years."

Contestants for the EPA award were from Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, and were selected to win in three categories: nonprofit or volunteer organization; business and industry; and government agency.

"People and organizations throughout our region are making great strides in environmental protection, and these awards recognize some of the shining stars who are doing more than their share to keep our planet healthy and inspiring others to do the same," acting EPA Regional Administrator William C. Early stated.

Earth Conservancy started in 1993 with a $14 million federal grant obtained by U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, matched by $2 million raised from the private sector. With the money, the organization purchased 16,300 acres of former Blue Coal Co. land scattered around the Wyoming Valley.

Earth Conservancy drew up comprehensive plans to reclaim and restore the mine-scarred land, and, to date, has reclaimed 1,216 acres at a cost of $20.3 million. There are another 1,142 acres in the process of being restored, at an estimated cost of $55.7 million. Some of the Earth Conservancy's projects include filling in a massive strip-mining pit in Avondale, Plymouth Township; reclaiming sites in Hanover Township that are now used for business and industry; and restoring many acres for gamelands, greenspace or recreation, such as the Mocanaqua Loop Trail and Penobscot Ridge Bike Trail.

"The Earth Conservancy has successfully shown that by taking the time to clean up our mine-scarred land and waterways, many properties that were once abandoned have since been completely revitalized and become valuable resources to many communities," Kanjorski said in a prepared statement. "Earth Conservancy's efforts have continued to improve the environment and quality of life in Northeastern Pennsylvania."

Dziak said Kanjorski was instrumental not only in forming the Earth Conservancy, but in getting abandoned mine land into the EPA's definition of a "brownfield," or former industrial/commercial site in need of cleanup. That made Earth Conservancy eligible for federal money. Since then, Earth Conservancy has received four substantial grants from the EPA.