Residents oppose Foundation Mine proposal near Holbrook
ROGERSVILLE – The potential for water loss and property damage were among the issues raised by residents at an informational meeting Thursday held by Alpha Natural Resources on its proposed Foundation Mine near Holbrook.
Foundation Mining LLC, an Alpha subsidiary, initially filed a permit application for the mine in 2008. It held two previous informational meetings on the plan, the latest in 2011.
The company’s current permit application was filed in January.
Kevin Moore, Alpha’s senior environmental compliance manager, told about 60 people in attendance Thursday’s meeting was being held because plans changed since the mine was first proposed.
Though the underground mine boundaries remain unchanged, the size of surface operations were reduced, he said.
In previous permit applications, surface operations covered much more acreage and included construction of a preparation plant, sedimentation ponds and a coal refuse site, he said. Foundation is seeking to permit 9,438 acres of coal in Center, Jackson and Richhill townships for development mining. It will later apply for a permit to longwall mine the same coal.
The mine’s surface operations will be constructed on the west side of Route 18 south of Bristoria Road. The 25.4-acre site will include a shaft, utility boreholes, bathhouse, water retention pond and parking area.
The mine’s rail and coal-loading facilities will be constructed on the other side of Route 18.
The company plans to begin work on the project as soon as it receives its permits, Moore said. It hopes to have all permits in hand sometime this year.
Asked how Alpha’s current bankruptcy will impact the project, Eric Salyer, vice president of Alpha’s Pennsylvania operation said he didn’t know.
“We wouldn’t be spending the money to permit (the mine),” he said, if the company didn’t plan to move forward with it.
Several people questioned the company about property damage from mine subsidence.
William Mitter Jr. of Cole Hollow Road said his house is on the border of the underground permit area, but he heard that is the area normally most impacted by subsidence.
“If there is damage, we are responsible, if it was caused by mining,” said Jeremy Rafferty, company land agent. The company must either repair damage caused by mining or compensate the owner, he said.
Several other property owners had questions about water loss.
Rafferty said the company must provide a temporary water supply within 24 hours of being notified of the loss. That supply must be maintained until a permanent water supply is provided.
Providing a permanent supply could involve drilling new wells, re-establishing springs or connecting a property owner to a public water system, he said.
The company will look at a property owner’s existing water supplies and make plans in advance, “so when you do have an impact, you’re not waiting for us to respond,” Rafferty said.
In response to one property owner’s concerns, Rafferty also said the company has experience installing livestock watering systems capable of providing water to livestock at various locations on a farm.
The estimated life of the mine within the permit boundary is 15 to 20 years, with expected production of 8.2 million annually. The company has additional coal reserved south of the proposed permit area that will be mined later.
The Foundation Mine will not have a preparation plant. It hasn’t been decided if, or where, its coal will be processed, Salyer said. It also has not yet been determine where coal waste will be disposed of, he said. Waste water from the mine will probably be processed at Alpha’s Cumberland Mine treatment plant, Moore said.