New Coal Mine Planned
Surface operation near Everettville awaits DEP OK
Morgantown Dominion Post
21 July 2012
By Tracy Eddy
A new surface coal mine could open near Everettville, pending
approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP).
According to DEP documents, the roughly 27-acre site could be less
than a mile from Everettville. Operations could include a haulroad,
a surface mine, highwall mine and auger mine in the Pittsburgh coal
seam.
DEP spokesman Tom Aluise said officials are reviewing the mining
permit. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is evaluating the
water permit, he said, which would allow the operation to discharge
treated water and stormwater into the Monongahela River.
SCJL Co-Leasing Corp. is listed as the applicant for the permits.
DEP documents also list Laurita Surface Mine under related
applications.
Representatives from SCJL Co-Leasing Corp. did not respond to The
Dominion Post in time for this report.
A representative from Laurita Excavating referred calls to Mepco
Inc. and representatives of that company did not respond to The
Dominion Post in time for this report.
Resident Carol Thorn said the new mine could mean more jobs for
local miners.
“It’s important to keep our coal miners working,” she said. “Our
economy isn’t great right now ... I think our economy needs coal.”
Thorn is also president of the Everettville Historical Association.