More Say No to Mine 

Lenore Residents Appeal Mingo County Permit

I live 6 miles up the right fork of Laurel Creek, at the mouth of Ash Camp. We are appealing this permit to the Surface Mine Board because of the danger the mine poses to the environment and the threat of damage it could cause to my home.

At the informal meeting, no one could tell me what kind of discharge will be released into Ashcamp Branch... is the stream going to be polluted? Harmed? Damaged? Changed? Are the fish and other habitants of the stream going to be harmed or killed? Is this going to de-value the homes and property of people living in the community? I am concerned about the pollution of the land, the air, the noise pollution and the damage to wildlife, native plants and the risk factors this could pose on the community’s health and well being.

According to the men from the mines, they will be disturbing the mountaintop in order to deep mine the seam of coal. There will be a pond on each side of the mountain approximately 50’wide x 500' long x 150’deep... I have seen this happen over and over again, in our county, communities and state, the adverse effects this has had on persons, properties, water, natural habitats and the environment. The mine company said this would have minimal effect regarding pollution, minimal dust, minimal noise, minimal threat to persons and property. When asked what does minimal amount to? THE MINE COMPANY COULD NOT CLARIFY, MEASURE, OR DEFINE.

We fear for the effects this will have on the environment and on our quality of life. The creek that runs out of Ash Camp is crystal clear at the present time. The community wishes to keep it that way.

Both my husband and I have health problems... The hazards this could pose on our health alone are great, much less the worry this permit could pose on our environment and peaceful natural way of life.

The Right Fork of Laurel Creek is a well-populated community; much of the residents feel the way we do. Given the history of the coal mining companies in this area and around the state, they are not environmental caring, and they do have the reputation for damaging person’s property, communities as a whole, and disrupting the general way of life for the people in these communities.

Sincerely,

Charles and Donna Branham