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AMDTreat v5.0.1 Plus Now Available

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OSMRE Media Advisory
On Thursday, November 29, 2012, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) will unveil an enhanced version of its water treatment software package, AMDTreat, which incorporates a new module developed by the United States Geological Survey. The new module, which is derived from USGS software, allows geochemists and hydrologists to determine how to most effectively and economically treat polluted water from mining and other sources.

The backdrop for this announcement is near Ben’s Creek, a highly regarded trout stream in Somerset County, PA, that was once heavily polluted by acid mine drainage from an underground mine. The AMD heavily impacted all aquatic life in the affected area. Because OSMRE used AMDTreat at Ben’s Creek, the state of Pennsylvania will save more than $250,000 each year it was previously spending for chemical treatment. Treatment will go on perpetually.

A compelling part of the story is the donation of more than 13 acres of high-value land to build the treatment ponds at Ben’s Creek. The land came from a married couple who felt strongly about cleaning up the water, but also providing for environmental education and stewardship. Sadly, the wife of the couple died before completion of the project, but her legacy lives on in the form of the educational pavilion at the site, which hosts local classes. As one Pennsylvania official stated, it was “….one person who had a vision, but AMDTreat gave us the tools to make it cost effective.”

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