niedbala@observer-reporter.com
Foundation Coal Corp. plans to invest $400 million to build a new coal mine in Center Township that will initially provide jobs to 400 to 500 people.
The company has submitted a permit application for the new mine, which will be called the Foundation Mine, to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Construction of the mine will begin once the proper permits are issued, Foundation spokeswoman Samantha Davison said Wednesday.
The company hopes to begin coal production in 2013 and initially mine 7 million tons of coal a year by the longwall method, she said.
The new mine will be constructed near Holbrook. Plans show the mine being developed on the west side of Route 18, centering on an area between Hoge Run Road and Bristoria Road.
While the mine will initially provide jobs for 400 to 500 people, it has the potential to employ up to 1,000, Davison said.
The jobs created by the mine will pay higher than average wages. The average wage for a coal miner in Greene County is $74,206 a year, while the average wage for all Greene County jobs, including mining jobs, is $23,337, Davison said.
Foundation's two existing Greene County coal mines, Emerald and Cumberland, have been in operation for more than 30 years.
"Our employees live here, they work here and they do business here," Davison said. "We have been a good community neighbor and we certainly want to continue to do that," she said.
The company and its employees contribute to many community projects, Davison said. Foundation, for example, recently provided money to help build the new aquatic center in Waynesburg.
Foundation also contributes significantly to the county's tax base, Davison said.
During the permitting process, residents will have amply opportunity to receive information and ask questions about the project.
"We will work with the community and try to resolve any questions or concerns people might have," Davison said. "It's our mission to be a good community neighbor," she added.
Foundation is only in the preliminary stages of the permit application process, DEP said. Though the application has been submitted to DEP, the department has not yet accepted it for technical review.
Once the application is accepted by DEP, the department will begin its technical review and submit the plans to other agencies for consideration. The process also will include public notice and public hearings, DEP said.