Executive Director's Message, Fall 2026

Thirty Years, A Lasting Partnership

Restoring waterways affected by generations of coal mining takes patience, practical knowledge, and people who keep showing up. For 30 years, Bobby Hughes and the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR) have brought all three and so much more to communities across the anthracite and northern bituminous coal regions of our basin.

As EPCAMR celebrates this milestone, I want to recognize the dedication of Bobby and his team - and thank them for three decades of partnership with the Susquehanna River Basin Commission.

Having spent a little more than 30 years with SRBC myself, I appreciate how much sustained cooperation matters in this work. Mine drainage problems are complex, and progress often requires years of monitoring, planning, securing funding, and bringing the right people together. EPCAMR has been a valued partner through that process, contributing both technical expertise and a deep connection to the communities we serve.

Our shared work reaches back nearly three decades to restoration planning for the Tioga River , where Bobby helped develop a plan to address water quality impairments. Since then, our partnership has extended across the basin—from surveying Wiconisco Creek and collecting data at the Old Forge Borehole to studying the underground mine pools that influence water conditions throughout the coal regions.

EPCAMR has also shared water quality data for SRBC’s Mine Drainage Portal, contributing to our evaluation of major mine drainage discharges and potential treatment options. These efforts help us better understand the challenges beneath our feet and make informed decisions about where and how to pursue restoration.

That partnership continues today on Bear Creek in Lykens. EPCAMR developed three-dimensional mine pool maps to estimate the volume of water stored underground, helping lay the groundwork for a proposed passive treatment system. SRBC has applied for grant funding to design the system, and we look forward to the opportunity to advance this work together.

EPCAMR’s commitment extends from detailed technical studies to the hands-on work of caring for a local waterway - and helping residents become part of its recovery. Through it all, Bobby finds time to educate everyone from ages 1 to 99. If you haven’t tie-dyed a shirt with Bobby using recycled iron oxide pigments, I highly suggest you do.

Just as meaningful are the hours our teams have spent alongside one another at streamside cleanups. Not to mention the laughter and friendships that grew in the after-hours of long days in the field. Bobby is more than the Executive Director of a partner organization, he’s a true friend.

In 2009, SRBC recognized Bobby with our William Jeanes Environmental Award . His continued leadership, and the dedication of the team around him, have given us many more reasons to be grateful since then.

Bobby, thank you for sharing your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your determination with SRBC and the people of this basin. To the entire EPCAMR team, congratulations on 30 years of service. We are proud to work beside you and look forward to continuing the work of restoring streams, reclaiming land, and expanding opportunities for the communities that call the coal regions home.

Best regards,
Andrew D. Dehoff, P.E.
Executive Director