Mine-Scarred Lands Initiative Tool Kit: Project Examples Related to Obtaining Information on Water Quality Treatment Alternatives
Tool Kit Links
How to Determine Treatment Options:
The Pennsylvania Mine Project
Pennsylvania Mine stakeholders researched preliminary treatment design considerations and developed the Pennsylvania Mine MSL Demonstration Project Technology Alternatives Assessment 
. Information was collected from a range of technical reports that describe best available technologies for sites similar to Pennsylvania Mine. The following criteria were used to develop a list of treatment alternatives that meet the water quality goals, are practical, and have acceptable costs:
- Effectiveness: The potential for the treatment option to achieve remedial goals established for the site.
- Area required
- Sludge production
- Complexity: The amount of human intervention that would be required.
- Reliability: The ability of the treatment option to perform as indicated by similar systems.
- Cost: Major costs are construction, operation and maintenance, required chemicals, and sludge management.
- Community and Regulatory Acceptance: This is especially important with this project due to associated liability concerns.
The Snake River Watershed Task Force intends to develop a Request for Proposals (RFP) to conduct site specific design to properly size the various components and assure workability.