Permit Granted for Operation at Calvin Run
Washington PA Observer Reporter
2 December 2011
By Bob Niedbala, Staff writer
niedbala@observer-reporter.com
The state Department of Environmental Protection has approved a
permit for the Dana Mining Co.'s dewatering operation at Calvin
Run in Perry Township.
The permit for the two de-watering boreholes into the Humphrey
Mine at Calvin Run was approved as a revision to a mine permit
renewal for the company's 4 West Mine in Dunkard Township.
The permit renewal and the revision for the Calvin Run boreholes
were approved by DEP Nov. 2, said DEP spokesman Kevin Sunday.
Dana drilled the two de-watering boreholes into the closed
Humphrey Mine at Calvin Run so it can pump mine water to the
Steele Shaft treatment plant, operated by an affiliate, AMD
Reclamation Inc.
The 4 West Mine is mining Sewickley seam coal above the Pittsburgh
seam formerly mined by Humphrey. The company had to lower the
water level in the Humphrey pool to continue mining.
DEP previously issued the company a permit revision for Calvin
Run. However, it revoked the permit in February 2010 as part of an
agreement to settle an appeal filed by PennFuture and Friends of
Dunkard Creek.
The department then determined a mining permit revision was not
needed for the project and allowed the company to begin work after
receiving an earth disturbance permit from the county conservation
district.
The U.S. Office of Surface Mining disagreed with the decision,
claiming the activity constituted mining without a permit. OSM
issued a cessation order in January, halting work at the site
until the company received a mine permit revision.
In February, however, an administrative law judge for the U.S.
Department of Interior suspended OSM's cessation order, allowing
work at the site to proceed until a hearing could be held on the
company's petition for relief.
The case was subsequently dismissed based on a stipulation between
the parties.
PennFuture and Friends of Dunkard Creek have opposed the Calvin
Run project, claiming it will allow the Steele Shaft plant to
discharge additional polluted water into Dunkard Creek.
The plant was originally developed to treat acidic water from the
abandoned Shannopin Mine, which was threatening to breach the
surface.
No similar threat exists at the Humphrey Mine, the groups claimed.
The plant also cannot treat for total dissolved solids.
The permit for the Steele Shaft plant, which expired in 2008, is
now under review by DEP though the company is authorized to
continue the plant discharge, Sunday said.
Neither a spokesman for Dana nor PennFuture could be reached
Thursday for comment.