[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 110 (Thursday, June 24, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H3090]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            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.

                              {time}  1045

  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.

                          ____________________