Proposed coal mine in Nottingham Twp. clears local permits
A Kentucky coal operator received the second local permit it needs to open a new mine in Nottingham Township, where residents strongly oppose the operation.
Nottingham supervisors last week approved Lexington-based Ramaco’s subdivision and land-developments plans, setting 28 above-ground conditions on the project, Supervisor Peter Marcoline said.
Everything going forward depends on whether the state Department of Environmental Protection approves the company’s application to operate the mine, Marcoline said Monday.
“That is now the critical path,” said Rebecca Bowman of Peters Township, the company’s local attorney for the project.
Ramaco, established four years ago, began the permitting process in early 2013 to open the mine on Little Mingo Road, where it purchased 8 million tons of former Mathies Mine reserves. Its surface operations will require the construction of a bathhouse, portal and related structures on a former 71.6-acre horse farm. The company said it expects to create 40 new jobs at the mine.
The plan drew heavy opposition from local residents who oppose an industrial complex in their rural neighborhood, said Patrick Grenter, executive director of the Center for Coalfield Justice in Washington.
“It is out of step with the surrounding community,” Grenter said.
He said the center is concerned the permit application to the DEP contains insufficient information about the proposed mine.
The permit application remains in the “completeness phase” of the review process at the DEP, department spokesman John Poister said.
“They are going through it carefully,” Poister said.
Once the application clears that phase, it either gets sent back to Ramaco for more information or it enters into the technical review phase at the DEP, he said.
The conditions set by Nottingham are in addition to 62 others the township has set for the project in the conditional-use phase of local permitting.
The conditions set last week involve a requirement the company leave existing trees in place wherever possible, Bowman said.
The township also is requiring two rows of evergreen trees, each about 10 feet tall, to be planted as a buffer, Bowman said.
The company “agreed to submit to all of the conditions,” she said.
When asked about the opposition, she said, “We are good corporate citizens and do everything to comply with the demands placed on us.”