October 13, 2004

Impoundments draw concerns in Whitesville

By Derek Tomblin

A town hall style meeting was conducted Thursday, October 7, at the Salamy Center in Whitesville to unveil a new website designed to inform the public about various topics involving the locations and usage of coal impoundments (or slurry ponds) throughout West Virginia.

The meeting was facilitated by representatives of the Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center’s Coal Impoundment Project. The project operates under direction of staff members and administrators of Wheeling Jesuit University.

Among topics discussed at the meeting were: Using the website to find information on the locations of coal impoundments throughout the state, the history of impoundment failures, the potential for future failures, information about up-to-date evacuation routes should a failure occur, information on technological advancements in impoundment maintenance and safety, and proposed alternatives to the use of impoundments at mine sites among other issues.

The meeting was conducted as a continuation of an initiative, started by Senator Robert C. Byrd, to inform the public about impoundments and their implications on public health and safety. Byrd began the initiative shortly after a coal impoundment failure occurred in Martin County, Kentucky in 2000.

Although no lives were lost in the spill, the incident is considered to be one of the most extensively damaging environmental mishaps in the history of the southeastern United States. The incident prompted Byrd to initiate legislative funding for projects to inform the public, particularly those located near an impoundment, about the possible dangers.

Present at Thursday's meeting were presenters from the Byrd Technology Transfer Center at Wheeling Jesuit University, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the West Virginia Office of Miner's Health Safety and training, and the West Virginia Library Commission.

Also on hand were representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection, from Massey Energy and several concerned citizens of the Boone and Raleigh County areas as well as representatives from coal industry watchdog group Coal River Mountain Watch.

Many citizens expressed deep concerns over what they perceived as the questionable safety of several coal impoundment sites in their area. Among local impounds discussed at the meeting were the Brushy Fork impound, Lower Big Branch, the Shumate Coal Refuse Disposal Facility, and the Collins Fork and McGraw Fork refuse dams.

Residents raised questions about the adequacy of evacuation procedures for areas near these impoundments and about the safety of dam structures, particularly at the Shumate site from which an elementary school is located directly downstream.

Residents at the meeting also questioned whether proper compaction tests were being conducted on the dam structure at the site.

Bo Webb, of Coal River Mountain Watch, compared the potential for disaster if a failure occurred at the Shumate impound with that of the Buffalo Creek disaster of 1972. The Buffalo Creek disaster occurred when an coal impoundment dam failed resulting in the deaths of 125 people and the destruction of over 4,000 homes.

Both D.E.P. and M.H.S.A. representatives attempted to alleviate some of these concerns by assuring residents that the sites were checked frequently by state inspectors and engineers from the respective coal companies using continually improving technology.

Many of the citizens in attendance seemed dissatisfied with these responses. One woman stated, "If a spill could happen in Martin County, Kentucky at a Massey property in 2000, then it could happen again here."
Another local resident voiced her concern over the need for an early warning system such as the sirens used by chemical companies in the Kanawha Valley when chemical spills occur.

Dr. Ben Stout, associate professor of biology at Wheeling Jesuit University and a presenter at the meeting for the Coal Impoundment Team, responded to citizen's concerns by saying, "You have very concrete concerns." He noted there were others in positions of authority who would better be able to assist both the presenters at the meeting and the citizens with their safety concerns.

"Let's raise these questions with the appropriate agencies," Stout added.
Other presenters at Thursday's meeting were J.Davitt McAteer, director of the Coal Impoundment Project, Stanley J. Michalek, of the Geotechnical Engineering Branch of the Mine Safety and Health Administration, J.D. Higginbotham, of the West Viginia Office of Miner's Health Safety and Training and Susan Hayden, of the West Virginia Library Commission.
Robert Reid, media and public affairs manager at the Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center, said the meeting was productive. He said the collaborating agencies on the Coal Impoundment Project are able to learn and improve their services by the type of feedback received at such meetings.

"It's not a cure-all, but it's a step in the right direction," Reid said of the website.

A similar meeting was held on Tuesday, October 5, at the Van Community Center in Van.

More information on the Coal Impoundment Project can be found by visiting the website at www.coalimpoundment.com