"Acid mine drainage from coal affects drinking water quality, property values,
and stream habitat for fish and other organisms. Coal is an important
resource that fuels our industrial economy. So new techniques are needed
in conjunction with mining to stop acids and metals from leaking into
streams. New remote sensing techniques can locate sites of leakage because
they use diagnostic wavelengths of light to distinguish between acidic
and neutral water. Bacteria are known to use a variety of strategies
to precipitate toxic metals. Stopping the metals from moving downstream
from the mining sites can protect our land and water and keep our industrial
base functioning."—Eleanora Iberall Robbins
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