Since 1994 the members of MWA have been helping their neighbors take action to protect their homes and communities from the impact of mining. A grassroots group with more than 600 community members from five towns, MWA monitors and works to prevent toxic discharges, blasting and mining techniques that are negatively impacting the environment and economy of the area. Beverly Braverman, executive director of MWA, says CCHD funding has enabled the project to inform the people in the area that they can take effective action to protect and improve their communities. Success in making their voices heard is empowering to MWA's members. Braverman sums up the organization's impact: "People who are active with the group are identifying solutions to problems. People are seeing that if we keep working together the way we are, we will be able to accomplish the clean up that the area needs." Bill Gdosky joined the MWA after finding that water drainage from the area's abandoned mines was steadily eroding his land, making it too wet for a tractor, and fouling a nearby creek with orange sulphur deposits from mine drainage. Instead of the farming he dreamed of doing, Gdosky was spending his retirement fighting a losing battle against the 1500 gallons of water that rush through his property every minute.

Through his involvement with MWA, Gdosky found others who would fight the battle with him and a renewed hope that positive changes are possible for his property and the entire valley. "A lot of people think about doing something, but the Mountain Watershed people are doing it," Gdosky says. "I never dreamed we would get this far with the clean up," he adds. "This group just doesn't give up."

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