Morgantown Firm, Pa. Project Recognized

Morgantown Dominion Post
19 September 2010
Submitted to The Dominion Post

A Morgantown firm and a project in Fayette County, Pa., were honored for reclamation measures by the Pennsylvania Coal Association at its Aug. 25 annual banquet.

Coresco LLC, a MEPCO entity, of Morgantown, reclaimed the Gapen Surface Mine in Dunkard Township, Greene County, Pa. in a manner that maintained and enhanced the original contour of the land, returning the post-mining land use to hay land and recreational use, the award announcement said.

The site is within a halfmile mile of Bobtown, Pa., and adjacent to Pennsylvania Game Lands No. 223. It will be eligible for final bond release this fall.

Amerikohl Mining, of Butler, Pa., won three awards. One award recognized a project in mountainous Springfield Township, Fayette County. The citation noted: “A complex plan with special handling of overburden materials and alkaline addition has improved water quality and reclaimed the site to its premining use of forestland.”

Eight coal mining companies, representing the best of reclamation in Pennsylvania, were honored at the event for going above and beyond the required federal and state requirements to correct pre-existing mining conditions and protect the environment for the future.

Twelve mine-site projects covering more than 273 acres of abandoned mine lands were reclaimed and more than 12,300 feet of abandoned highwalls were eliminated.

These sites were chosen through a process in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Mining and Reclamation.