§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of(a) the range of toxic contaminants, (b) the quantities of polluted water and (c) the methods of remedy available at closed coal mines; and which bodies are responsible for funding the clean-up of polluted mine water. [1816]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe Environment Agency monitors discharges from abandoned coal mines and their impact on receiving waters. Such discharges can contain a range of substances, of which the most common is iron. The quantity of water discharged is highly variable, according to location, geology and season. A typical range is 200 to 15,000 cu m per day. The selection of methods used to treat mine water discharges depends on site-specific factors such as the nature of the mine water and the amount of land available near the discharge.
Liability for water pollution from abandoned coal mines varies according to the local circumstances, but we have said that we expect the Coal Authority to go beyond its strict legal duties and seek to achieve the best environmental results within its available resources. On this basis, the Coal Authority is currently pumping and treating mine water in several locations. In addition, the authority, in consultation with the Environment Agency, is assessing the best options for the remediation of a number of other sites where the environmental impact is most serious. I understand that the information resulting from this assessment will be used to identify a programme of specific projects for which finance will be sought from the Government.