Mining Dams Check is DEP's New Top Priority

The state Department of Environmental Protection is now putting a review of all deep mining permits that have been issued for areas near impoundments at the top of its "to do" list.

"We have office staff looking at mining permits that have been approved in the last year or two to make sure none of them have been illegally approved," said DEP Communications Director Jessica Greathouse. "We also have our inspection staff out in the field right now looking at all underground mines near impoundments to make sure no mining is happening in the safety zone."

Alarm bells were raised at DEP earlier this month when it was discovered a permit for a Wyoming County mine would have mistakenly allowed the miners to dig coal from the earth directly below the Smith Branch impoundment. That could have put the miners and residents nearby into a precarious situation.

Greathouse says DEP noticed the mistake and immediately suspended the mining permit in the safety zone for Bluestone Coal Company.   Now they want to make sure it was only an isolated mistake and there aren’t other problems out there just waiting to happen.