Cubin Plan Fizzles

Washington, D-C – A plan that would allow Wyoming to be paid 420-(M)-million dollars for cleanup of abandoned mines fell apart(Wednesday) in the U-S House. Revisions to the abandoned mines reclamation program were tied to legislation that would permit oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The plan included provisions of a bill sponsored by Wyoming's Barbara Cubin requiring the reimbursement to Wyoming and reduction of the amount coal companies pay into the abandoned mines fund. The proposal also would have shored up miners' pension plans. But House G-O-P leaders pulled the legislation from the
calendar, mostly because of lack of support in the Senate.