W.Va. OKs Resumption of Mine Discharges in Dunkard Creek
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
21 December 2009
By Don Hopey
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for a 1.6 Meg .PDF copy of the actual order.]
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has granted
Consol Energy's request that it be allowed to restart discharging water
from its Blacksville No. 2 mine into Dunkard Creek, where those
discharges contributed to a massive fish and freshwater mussel kill in
September.
But the approval, announced by the VWDEP today, expires April 30, and
limits the amount of the discharge allowed on a given day in an attempt
to reduce the chances that another bloom of toxic golden algae will
occur. The algae, which is native to the South and Southwest, thrives
in warm, brackish water conditions fostered by the mine discharges,
which are high in dissolved solids and chlorides.
The order also requires the Pittsburgh-based Consol to complete and
submit a proposal for construction of mine discharge treatment plants
for its mines in northern West Virginia by April 15. It must complete
construction on the first of those plants, to treat discharges into
Dunkard Creek, by May 31, 2013.
The mining company had sought approval to resume discharges from its
Blacksville No. 2 mine because water levels in the active mine have
been rising and would soon threaten the safety of 400 miners working
underground.
The company voluntarily stopped the discharges Sept. 17, during the
month-long fish kill that wiped out almost all aquatic life in 43 miles
of the creek along the Pennsylvania-West Virginia border.
More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Don Hopey can be reached at dhopey@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1983.