Mining Company Meets with Wayne Officials

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Posted: 1:43 PM Sep 8, 2008
Last Updated: 10:19 PM Sep 8, 2008
Reporter: Randy Yohe and The Associated Press
Email Address: randy.yohe@wsaz.com

21 comments

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Update from 6 p.m. Monday Newscast

WAYNE, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Our entire region could be affected by a developing coal mine controversy in Wayne County as the debate grows over hundreds of jobs, millions of dollars in royalties and keeping the environment safe.

Two local coal mine companies hope to expand underground mining operations by leasing more than 13,000 acres of federal land around East Lynn Lake. Wayne County commissioners were concerned about not enough buffer zone between the lake and the mines.

Operators say most, if not all, of the new coal mining would be at elevations above East Lynn Lake, negating most of the environmental problems.

But concerned citizens and a Marshall University geology professor cited a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study raising questions about possible mine fractures, possible water contamination from mine chemical waste and possible flooding

The commission’s key concerns are extending about 600 local coal mining jobs for up to 15 years and getting the state to give Wayne County up to $68 million over 15 years in new coal mining royalties.

The Wayne County Commission will just recommend – not decide -- on the coal mine leases and permits. A 1999 U.S. Congressional amendment gives the U.S. Bureau of Land Management the mineral rights decision here, bypassing the Corps of Engineers.

Original Story

WAYNE, W.Va. (AP) – It was a packed Wayne County Commission Monday morning as commissioners met with officials of a coal company who want to mine public land near East Lynn Lake.

Argus Energy environmental compliance manager Randall Maggard addressed concerns about his company's joint mining proposal with Foundation Coal Corp. subsidiary Rockspring Development, to mine 26 million tons of coal near East Lynn Lake.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers bought the property and built East Lynn Lake in the 1960s and spent $55.5 million buying mineral rights to protect it from mining from 1977 to 1991.

Federal legislation pushed by W.Va. Rep. Nick Rahall allows the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to lease the mineral rights, not the Corps.

Various other groups also addressed the pros and cons of the mining proposal during the Monday's meeting.

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Posted by: cin on Sep 10, 2008 at 09:24 AM
i grew up in east lynn with the mine property bordering ours and when they reopened the mine and started blasting our well started to have more sediment and we went through a couple water purifiers. i think that the corp will have to monitor the dam, after all it is a earthen dam. if I were still living in the area i would be more worried about the walls of the mines sludge pond giving away.

Posted by: Joe on Sep 9, 2008 at 08:01 AM
One minute people are calling it a surface mine, the next and underground mine. I am no rocket scientist but and underground mine that close to a major dam throws up a red flag with me...

Posted by: stan on Sep 9, 2008 at 06:56 AM
here is a suggestion on the east lynn mining controversy.my dad was one of the land owners whose property was legally stolen by the corps of eng.by the powers of eminent domain used by our government to buy our farm for 4,500 dollars it was worth 4 times that amount in the early 60,s when it was purchased.then later in the 60,s the corps paid about 55 million buying the mineral rights from columbia and various other gas companies to insure that it should never be mined or developed people forget the developed part there.if taxpayers money was spent to prevent this who is going to reimburse them,and if not and mining is permitted,it only seems fair that the original property owners should have the first option on those properties that have no direct effect on and around the lake.it may have been 43 yrs. ago but i still remember the 2 purchasing agents who sat down in my parents living room and told them to take the 4,500 dollars or they would bulldozer it over anyway.this makes twice

Posted by: Wv Hillbilly on Sep 9, 2008 at 03:43 AM
$$ will win out we complain about global warming and the damages its causing this would only benefit the miners that r already working I live n wayne co. and its a traditional "good ol boy" system these jobs will go 2 d families of people who r already n d mines WOW now I can get my brother on and son and nephew etc..., Watch and see after all d bribes and gresing is done this will end up badly 4 East Lynn, I live n a close proximity 3 East Lynn I hope it doesnt affect our water as well, 95% of d people n this area die of cancer and some dont smoke there is something wrong w/the entire East Lynn Dunlow, Crum & Ft Gay area all my fellow West Virginians know this ESPESCIALLY those close 2 those above towns.

Posted by: chuck on Sep 9, 2008 at 12:29 AM
maybe i shouldnt be commenting on this paticular story but i feel that i should say what i need to say cuz i once worked for a company that was and still is owned by the same person and all they are after is the all mighty buck not the enviromental fallout or the destruction of waterways or the after effects left after they have mined everything they can as long as they can make a fast buck and do it at others expense in the end trust me they will if giving the ok to do so i know first hand about this company they have no regard for their workers let alone the enviroment they follow guidelines where they cant get around them but believe this when noone is looking they will cut corners and sut safety regs every chance they get from their offroad trucking to the mining itself

Posted by: Randy on Sep 8, 2008 at 10:26 PM
I really can't figure out why the Corps is so concerned with East Lynn Lake ,more recent SURFACE Mining has occurred very close to Grayson Lake, Yatesville Lake, Paintsville Lake and many other lakes in KY. Several surface mines near Bruin,KY at the head of Grayson Lake even had Sediment ponds just a feww hundred feet from the pool of the lake and nobody from the corps complained. What gives?????

Posted by: coalminerswife on Sep 8, 2008 at 10:22 PM
I live around the lake and my husband works for Rocksprings and just so everyone knows it won't hurt the lake because they are going to be to far underground to hurt and yes it's going to bring more jobs to this area. I just want everyone to know that Rocksprings donates money to the school and even has a christmas party for the low income children. They have helped alot of families when they needed it.

Posted by: coal on Sep 8, 2008 at 10:21 PM
East Lynn is a dump and a dry sea!

Posted by: leeloo on Sep 8, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Did you know that the East Lynn Project(all the land the land the Corps condemned) is the largest in area in the entire Huntington District. Combine that with Beech Fork and look how many thousands of acres have been aquired by the federal government in Wayne County. I think its high time the County can finally get some return from it and I mean GOOD paying jobs and some revenue to boot. The Mining companies have already mined Thousands of acres around the proposed lease area and most people can't even tell its been mined unless they look at a mine map.

Posted by: BLAC on Sep 8, 2008 at 09:00 PM
This lake's primary purpose is to control flooding. The Corps bought the property around this lake because they thought mining would jeopardize the integrity of the dam and the lake. There are enough coal reserves in that area located away from the lake to last another 15 years. Why risk our lives - the people who live downstream - for a few extra years of coal mining? They do not propose to hire additional workers. Jobs are not the issue. The Corps spent $57 million dollars of tax payer money to acquire the coal rights around the lake. The coal companies see a way to get a large tract of land on the tax payers dime and make a lot of money. Why should we pay for their profit?

Posted by: BRANDON on Sep 8, 2008 at 08:20 PM
u people are idiots.... want to complain because there aren't enough jobs in wv, but u want to wine and cry when someone wants to do something to open some new jobs...

Posted by: aj on Sep 8, 2008 at 07:50 PM
Go some where else to live if you need a job and leave these innocent families alone.

Posted by: charles carroll on Sep 8, 2008 at 03:50 PM
I like congressman Rahall, always have but this seems like a inside deal somehow.The BLM has a bad reputation in dealing with Rancher's , Native Americans and Conservationists .Why go to the trouble to build a lake and recreation area just to let coal mining concerns come in and rape all the good work the Corps of Engineers has done .This thing stinks like a Republican rigged it. I can see where all parties except the public have profitted from both ends of this deal .

Posted by: So on Sep 8, 2008 at 03:26 PM
Why would we want to do this and take a risk on endangering the water supply in the area. Most of the homes have wells.

Posted by: huntingtonman on Sep 8, 2008 at 03:13 PM
Let them mine the coal. We need all the jobs we can get in this area. What a boost to the local economy this could be.

Posted by: booger on Sep 8, 2008 at 03:04 PM
Say goodbye to the lake. Money will prevail. Everybody knows the coal company will win. Today East Lynn Lake, tomorrow the rest of the state.

Posted by: Jay on Sep 8, 2008 at 03:01 PM
I dont think that mining near the Lake is a Good idea but once again this shows how politics will proceed over the mining efforts. I know it will bring Jobs but if its threat to the Lake then dont MINE.

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