Congressman Rogers Votes for Federal Funding to Revitalize Coal Communities

Statement

This week, the House Appropriations Committee is working to pass the final five remaining appropriations bills to fund federal government operations in fiscal year 2018. The Committee passed two of those bills today, including the Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill. U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers (KY-05) voted for the legislation, which provides $31.4 billion for Interior and Environment related agencies, including $75 million to continue the Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Pilot Program to revitalize coal communities.

The funds are targeted to important investments in the nation's natural resources, including $3.4 billion for the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Service to prevent and combat devastating wildfires. The legislation also contains several policy provisions to rein in harmful and unnecessary regulations at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies.

"I'm very pleased that this bill will continue the successful AML Pilot Program that is actively turning old abandoned mine land into productive areas for job creation, tourism and other economic development projects in our struggling coal-producing states," said Congressman Rogers, who first championed the AML Pilot Program in 2016. "This bill also cuts more waste in the EPA and focuses funding on providing clean water across the country."

The bill now heads to the House floor for consideration.

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