Slurry project debated
By KAY SEDGMER, Times Leader Staff WriterArticle Photos
ST. CLAIRSVILLE - Amid heavy security, local coal miners defended their jobs while environmentalist defended the waterways.
A public information session and hearing was held Tuesday evening at the James Carnes Center regarding a proposed slurry impoundment to be located in the Washington Township area of Belmont County. Nearly 300 people were on hand for the joint public information session and hearing held by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. All those in attendance were scanned by law enforcement officials before entering the hearing area.
The Ohio Valley Coal Company Powhatan No. 6 Mine has submitted applications to both the Ohio EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers for a proposed project involving the creation of new facilities for disposal of coarse and fine coal refuse at a location between S.R. 148 and Pleasant Ridge Road, approximately 1.5 miles west of Alledonia.
The company had previously requested a permit in May of 2004. In 2007, an amendment was attached to the application. But in 2008 the Ohio EPA issued a proposed denial for the permit. In October of the same year the Army Corps of Engineers denied the proposed project without prejudice opening the door for further applications.
Between that time and now, a taskforce was formed and studies were completed which have led to the public hearing phase of the process.
The current applications are under review to determine whether the project will comply with all state and federal water quality standards.
According to documentation distributed during the session, the nearly 13-acre coal impoundment, if approved, would result in discharges into Casey Run and its tributaries and adjacent wetlands in the Captina Creek Watershed. Information made available at the hearing also indicated the coal company proposes to construct a new slurry impoundment to receive slurry from the wash plants at both the company's Powhatan Nov. 6 mine and the American Energy Corporations' Century mine.
The proposed pond could impact nearly 30,000 feet of stream channels and approximately half an acre of small, moderate- and low-quality wetlands.
Discharges from the operation of the new impoundment would be collected and pumped to the existing No. 2 slurry impoundment in Perkins Run, and adjacent watershed immediately east of Casey Run which is a tributary to Captina Creek. An existing wastewater discharge permit would be used to regular the company's discharge from the older impoundment.
After a brief introduction and presentation, a question and answer period was held followed by the official public hearing.
Oral comments were numerous and ranged from support for the impoundment to opposition. Supporters noted the importance of the jobs at the mine to the county's economic well-being along with devastation to area families if the facility would close.
Former Belmont County Commissioner John Pollack spoke on the strain such action would cause.
"Everyone knows that job retention is the first step to economic development," he said. "Every county around this area should be defending the retention of these jobs. If this mine closes suicide rates will increasewelfare numbers will be out of sight, our courts will be clogged up with criminals."
Others, many of whom are coal miners, noted Captina Creek is among the best in the state.
"For years this coal company has been the banks of this creek," said one man. "It's ranked in the top three creeks in this state. How can you say it will be destroyed?"
Members of the Sierra Club of Ohio were on hand to voice their opposition to the proposed impoundment.
Believing such a structure would hinder the quality of the streams and the life it supports, one man encouraged leaders to "go green" and seek ways to produce "green jobs" in the area. "Coal won't always be here," he said. "It is not a renewable form of energy."
Nancy Kanfer contended the latest application was merely a "makeover" of the former declined paperwork and said a "giant slurry impoundment is a step in the wrong direction."
The environmentalists contend Captina Creek is one of the only areas in Ohio boasting a large and thriving community of the endangered hellbender salamander.
In its Spring 2008 publication "Watch" the Ohio Environmental Council notes a 2005 slurry line rupture which "covered everything it touched jet black" until the leak and spilled materials were contained.
Yet miners and those who operate the slurry pond stand firm in saying the impoundment would be safe.
In a prepared statement provided prior to the evening session, Rob Murray, vice president of Business Development and External Affairs for Murray Energy Corporation, noted the importance of the slurry impoundment.
"We have been working closely with the state and federal regulatory agencies for eight years to obtain a permit to build an environmentally safe slurry impoundment in the Casey Run area, and we have made much progress with Ohio EPA, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Army Corps of Engineers over the last 2 years," the release read. "The Powhatan No. 6 and Century mines, which combined account for 60 percent of the coal mined in Ohio and employ thousands of hard working families in the Ohio Valley area, must build this impoundment facility to assure the long term future of the mines. However, once again, the Obama administration, through its overreaching U.S. EPA, is impeding our ability to protect coal mining jobs and create new ones, and it is threatening to deny our employees their right to work and provide for their families."
John R. Forrelli, vice president of Engineering and Planning for Murray Energy, said the company has been located in that exact area for years with no damage to any existing endangered species.
The testimony continued late into the evening and representatives from both the Ohio EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers noted all oral comments provided during the meeting will be equally consider with any written comments.
Those written comments should be forwarded to the Ohio EPA, Division of Surface Water, Attention: Permit Processing Unit, PO Box 1049, Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049 by the April 9 deadline. In addition, any written comment for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should be mailed to Pittsburgh District, 1000 Liberty Avenue, Suite 2200, Attention: Regulatory Branch, Pittsburgh, PA 1522 by the same deadline.
Sedgmer may be reached at ksedgmer@timesleaderonline.com
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grtrnd1
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04-02-10 11:53 AM
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Another thing too Nancy, Don't believe everything you hear. I work underground everyday, I work hard. I don't do it because I want to tear things up. I do it because its good pay and great benefits. I do it to raise my children. I use to hate coal trucks, until one day I was out of work and was forced to drive one for 10 years, now, after being a part of it and seeing what really happens on the "inside", i understand and have alot of respect for them. Same way with coalminers, I always thought is was something that I'd never do. Low and behold I am now an underground miner, and have opened my eyes once again to something I educated myself on and agree with. You are intitled to your own opinion, but also keep an open and clear mind, and walk a mile in others shoes before making a decision. Thanks for your comments
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grtrnd1
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04-02-10 11:49 AM
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Ok Nancy, you have your opinion, and are entitled to it. But, I can't see shutting down 2 mines, with 1100 direct emplyees right here in the tri state area, plus 15,000 indirect jobs locally. What do you expect for 16,500 people to go work after they shut it down. I'm open for suggestions. I'm not being a smart#ss, I just would like to know what else would be available. All the jobs i've had since high school were coal related. In this general area, there is nothing else out there. I just get tired of people putting moths, and endangered bugs ahead of the economy and people lives. We are part of the food chain also, we just happen to be at the top. Now,,,, I'm not saying destroy all animals and plants so that we can thrive, but, #6 hasn't hurt anything in 38 years.
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nancy35
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04-02-10 10:24 AM
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cory1978 ~ sorry it has taken a few days to return. i see your point. just to let you know, my father worked for a coal company also. i'm not against the slurry, but i think the people that will be living by it should be the ones they are talking with to get their opinions of the slurry being built there. grtrnd1 ~ i never claimed that the waterdogs are not abundant. and also to let you know I AM NOT A TREE HUGGER!!!!! i think it is good there is jobs in this area and i believe there could be more if there was companies willing to come to this area, but with out those, we live with what we have in the area. AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, THESE ARE MY OPINIONS AND NOT EVERYONE WILL AGREE WITH ME. but there are people out there will take that i agree with the opposition of this, but LET IT BE KNOWN, I DO NOT AGREE!!!!! i make my own opinions based on what i know and hear, not just because somebody has told me to agree or disagree.
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grtrnd1
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04-02-10 8:23 AM
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Thank you Prince, and America is great. I just look around the valley and see alot of closed down factories on the river. Places that should be booming. I am a proud coal miner, and will agree that certain types of mining are destructive. (mountaintop removal) As far as longwall mining, I do understand it is destructive, but, from what I've seen in the area of these 2 mines, People have gotten 100,000 dollar homes compared to 25000 dollars homes they were in before the longwall went through. As far as the slurry pond. With the mining process there will be slurry. Nothing can be done about that. When we mine coal, their is rock that is cut down and loaded out with the coal. You can't burn rock, so it has to be run through the prep plant to remove all the rock and dust. The rock and dust is removed and sent and dumped in the slurry pond. If the slurry pond is such a chemical laden toxic waste field, I would ask you to take a moment and look up on the computer, and find an aerial photo o
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PrinceByTor
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04-02-10 2:14 AM
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cjh4coa, that is an Internet rumor that has no basis in fact. Look it up. grtrnd1, I can appreciate your opinions, and would not dispute them. The resurgence in coal production these past several years has been a major boon for the valley. We all owe it to each other to keep debate civil. We don't all share the same values, and we all have a right to have our voices heard. Isn't that part of what makes America great? Comments like grtrnd1's make me think, and I'm inclined to agree with him. Comments like cjh4coal's make me think something entirely different.
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grtrnd1
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04-01-10 9:35 PM
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Well said my friend.
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cjh4coal
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04-01-10 9:09 PM
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Obama gave $17 million to Oregon University to save their basketball coaches job, which so happened to be Mrs. Obama's brother, boy that money sure would be handy for the slurry pond.
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cjh4coal
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04-01-10 9:01 PM
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Maybe we ought to ban coal, so you tree huggin wussies can freeze your ****$ off in the dark, then see what happens when Washungton can't turn their lights on to ^%$# this country even more. What would all you soft handed sissies do the. You probably wouldn't even know where to start to provide for youselves or your families. But who am I, just a proud coalminer!!!!
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grtrnd1
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04-01-10 5:09 PM
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Prince, you are right in the fact that Murray would not stay in the guidelines if their werent any. I agree. But, the Sierra Club will be against coal no matter what. I see this crick everyday, I have fished right where the discharge comes off the hill by the slurry pond. It's crystal clear. Their have been tests done on that run off and it passes EPA regulations. There has been 2 instances where there was a spill. Neither of which were of no massive degree. They were fined, fixed, cleaned up and paid for all by Murray. (which is the way it ought to be). I seen the rupture at Century, It only made the water black for about a half mile. The water is dirtier when a flood comes through. As far as massive fish kills that the Sierra Club claims, all a lie. I was standing on the crick bank. I didn't see fish kills.
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cory1978
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04-01-10 4:21 PM
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nancy35: I guess you're not commenting back because NO ONE agrees with you?
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PrinceByTor
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04-01-10 11:06 AM
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Scott, it's getting tougher for people to make their voices heard in public because they feel threatened by right wing with all their boasting about their guns and talk of "taking back their country." The EPA, and organizations like the Sierra Club do provide a valuable service. Our rivers, lakes, and streams are much cleaner now than they were 50 years ago because of them, and government regulation championed by us danged liberals. Murray will only work within that regulatory framework, so I don't think it's too tough to imagine that if those regulations weren't in place, we wouldn't be able to eat the fish we catch. I'm all for jobs, and I'm not taking a side in this particular issue, just sayin'...
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cory1978
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04-01-10 8:35 AM
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Thank you thank you folks!! I feel like a proud AMERICAN today.
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grtrnd1
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04-01-10 1:15 AM
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Nancy35, I live by this creek, I've lived close to this mine for 37 years, I now work at this mine and make good money with great insurance. I love seeing the coal trucks and trains running up and down the crick. It means people are working, people are "stimulating" the economy. I hope and pray they allow us to use Casey Run. This crick is not hurt by #6 at all. As far as the waterdogs, I can take you to plenty of places on this crick and catch a couple for you. They are abundant. What the heck is a "green job" anyway. Sierra Club can go hug a tree. (don't hug the cherry or ash trees, I'll be cutting them down this fall for firewood)
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ScottPorter
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04-01-10 12:25 AM
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It continues to amaze me that the good paying jobs from this employer are being jepordized by "outsiders". These politicians and treehuggers get on their soap box and preach about "Green Jobs" and rejuvenating the Ohio Valley's job market. Folk's these are "Green Jobs" these men and women take their green to the bank every week. Eliminating or containing job growth will be harder on the hellbenders, because the unemployed will be roasting them on the creek banks to feed their families. If our elected officials don't stand up for our local economy and grow a pair we are in trouble. I am not a miner but I will stand by my friends who are. If anybody can defend the EPA please make your point to me @ PorterScottL@aol**** don't hide behind screen names defend your educated position, this is an economic war for the complete Ohio Valley. Not just miners and their families.
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daddybig8
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03-31-10 11:49 PM
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stop making a mountion out of a mole hill. the creek will not sufer, thats what the*****damn is for.let the miners mine. coal was put there by god to be used by man.
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cjh4coal
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03-31-10 9:36 PM
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Did people ever stop to think if OHIO STOPS THIS SLURRY POND, that maybe just by some chance this would snowball into other states doing the same? I've worked for Murray for 9yrs. and have had the opportunity to make a good living with great insurance, the kind of things that are hard to find now. So if you all stop coal how would you sell groceries, cars and everything else you buy, cause these jobs help create the those jobs, but who cares if you dum dums kill these jobs it will just put the rest you, yes that means you "green"people out of work to. Maybe you all should stop letting California run this country, let us simple folk do things our way.
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cory1978
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03-31-10 4:34 PM
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nancy35: there is a price to pay for progress and building a slurry pond is it. With your way of thinking, everyone that lives along the Ohio River would be afraid to death when it rains. If the pond can be built safely then BUILD IT. If there is no work, you won't have to worry about the pond breaking because no one will live here....nice and pristine but vacant. tra-la-la
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nancy35
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03-31-10 3:39 PM
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understand the need for jobs, bur has anybody looked into how well murray actually takes care of things. look at his mines out west. they were suppose to be top notch, look what happened there. it wasn't too long ago, murray was talking about laying a bunch of miners off work. don't anyone remember that? i agree that captina creek is pristine, but need to consider the people that actually live in that area. they are the one this will effect the most. of course, some of you will not agree with me, but that is your opinion. has anybody thought how this would effect them, if the slurry ponds break? probably not. too worried about their selves and not with the people that will be living around those ponds. if any have comment, please leave it here. will check back and follow up with your comments.
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PrinceByTor
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03-31-10 12:51 PM
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"...If this mine closes suicide rates will increase welfare numbers will be out of sight, our courts will be clogged up with criminals." Bunchy doesn't think too highly of coal miners, does he?
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grtrnd1
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03-31-10 10:50 AM
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I work for the OVCC, I have fished every square inch of Captina Creek from one end to the other. I've caught Hellbender, aka Waterdogs all the time. There are more waterdogs in that creek today than ever before. That crick is crystal clear on a summer day now as it was 30 years ago. OVCC has been on that crick bank for the last 38 years. Captina Creek was recently added to the most Pristine Creeks in the NATION. Not the county,,,,, the NATION. If OVCC was doing BAD things,, would you think the crick would be PRISTINE. Everyone is saying "Stimulate the economy", "We need jobs". What more of a stimulation to the county and school district do you need than to keep thousands of high paying jobs right here in the county. We spend our money right here in the valley. The Sierra Club left this meeting and went back to Columbus, New York, Chicago, etc. And will never care about Belmont County again. This is OUR county. Our life. Our money. Thank you.
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Bee49
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03-31-10 9:52 AM
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This means jobs for an economaccly chalanged area. Ohio has turned into a slum. Get the jobs going and the people working. We have always had coal, glass, enamal factories, now nothing. What is wrong with you people?
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