Sierra Club Files Appeal with DEP Over Proposed Cassville Surface
Mine
The Sierra Club says its concerned about water quality issues for
the New Hill West mine.
The State Journal
21 September 2010
By Mike Krafcik
MORGANTOWN -- The Sierra Club has filed an appeal to challenge the West
Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's water permit for the
New Hill West mine in Cassville.
The notice was filed with the West Virginia Environmental Quality
Control Board.
The permit was issued to the Patriot Mining Company for the 225-acre
strip mine. The Sierra Club said the permit does not adequately control
the water pollution that comes from this site.
Patriot Mining officials have indicated they would intend dump
1,000-10,000 tons of coal combustion waste per acre of mined area.
The club said the DEP standards fail to include any limits for toxic
heavy metals that come from fly-ash and coal combustion bi-products.
The Sierra Club said the DEP is using out-dated testing procedures that
will undermine the risks to ground water and streams from the ash
disposal at mine sites.
"The DEP needs to have a pollution prevention plan in this permit that
assures that any discharges from the mine will meet any water quality
standards, they have not done that," said Jim Kotcon, of the Sierra
Club West Virginia.
The Sierra Club's appeal will be heard as part of a evidentiary hearing
before the Environmental Quality Board scheduled for November.