The state of Maryland is giving an Ohio engineering firm $93,000 to help reduce acid drainage from abandoned coal mines in western Maryland.
The Board of Public Works approved the grant Wednesday to CTL Engineering of Columbus, Ohio. The work will be done out of the firm's Morgantown, West Virginia, office.
The project will address acid mine drainage in the Georges Creek watershed.
Acid mine drainage occurs when abandoned deep mines cause streambeds on the surface to subside and leak water into the mine workings. The water picks up minerals that create toxic sulfuric acid when the water flows out of the mine and is exposed to air.
The engineering firm will assess various tributaries and provide data on the best sites for monitoring and remediation.