Old Forge Borehole's Mine Water Eyed for Reclamation, Hydroelectricity

A mine-water reclamation plan aims to divert and purify polluted borehole water, return clean water to the river, and generate hydroelectric power.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 11:39pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A mine-water reclamation plan has goals of diverting and purifying polluted borehole water from the Old Forge borehole, returning clean water to the Lackawanna River, and generating hydroelectric power in the process. The ambitious concept by Renewable Energy Aggregators Inc. calls for the construction of two large reservoirs and a treatment/power plant facility in a 1,300-acre project area straddling Old Forge, Ransom Township, and Duryea.

Why it matters

The Old Forge borehole has been emptying tens of millions of gallons of mine water a day into the Lackawanna River, polluting the waterway and impacting the larger Chesapeake Bay watershed. This reclamation project aims to address the long-standing environmental damage caused by the borehole's mine water discharge.

The details

The project would create an upper reservoir in Ransom Township and a lower reservoir mostly in Duryea, with underground pipes connecting the two. Water flowing downhill between the reservoirs would generate electricity at an underground powerhouse in Old Forge. The purified water would then be returned to the Lackawanna River, helping to revive the local aquatic ecosystem that has been devastated by the borehole's pollution.

  • The state drilled the 42-inch-diameter Old Forge borehole as a release valve in 1962.
  • Renewable Energy Aggregators Inc. filed a federal permit application in July for a preliminary permit for the project.
  • FERC issued a public notice on January 24, 2026, stating REA's next step is to conduct a feasibility study, with a deadline of March 16, 2026, for public comment, motions to intervene, and competing applications.

The players

Renewable Energy Aggregators Inc.

A company based in Pittston, Pennsylvania, and Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, that has proposed the mine-water reclamation and hydroelectric generation project.

Bernie McGurl

The former executive director of the Lackawanna River Conservation Association, who expressed strong support for the REA reclamation concept and project in a video.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We propose to capture the polluted water from the borehole before it reaches the Lackawanna, remove the contaminants and return 99.99 % pure water back to the river. This alone is a game-changer for the bay, but we're not stopping there.”

— Adam Rousselle, Principal, Renewable Energy Aggregators Inc.

“Since the 1800s, the Lackawanna River and every river downstream of it have been plagued by the pollution created by the coal mining industry, which was once the lifeblood here in Northeastern Pennsylvania.”

— Bernie McGurl, Former Executive Director, Lackawanna River Conservation Association

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This project has the potential to be a game-changer for the Chesapeake Bay watershed, addressing long-standing environmental damage caused by the Old Forge borehole's mine water discharge while also generating clean, renewable hydroelectric power. However, the project faces challenges in terms of feasibility and economics that the company will need to work through.