CHARLESTON – Upshur County’s Wolf Run Mining Company, Barbour County’s Kanawha Energy Company and Tucker County’s Collins Building & Contracting were honored recently for environmental stewardship during the West Virginia Coal Association’s 40th Annual West Virginia Mining Symposium, held Mar. 6-8 in Charleston.
“We would like to congratulate Wolf Run Mining Company, Kanawha Energy Company, Collins Building & Contracting and the other organizations who were recognized for their hard work and responsible reclamation,” said Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association. “Each of these companies goes far beyond what is required to restore former mine lands. We always say coal miners are the real environmentalists. They don’t just talk about doing something…they go out and do it. They do it because this is their home. We are proud to represent these companies and the 63,000 coal mining families who live and work here in West Virginia.”
Wolf Run Mining Co.’s Reed Hollow Refuse Facility in Upshur County claimed the Refuse Reclamation North Award for environmental stewardship. In making the award, Jason Bostic, vice president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said, “Wolf Run showed exemplary performance in reclamation of a refuse facility and the innovative approach of using short paper fiber as an amendment to the refuse in order to reduce the generation of acid mine drainage and help stabilize the slopes to provide resistance to erosion.”Kanawha Energy Co.’s Jackson Hollow Refuse Facility in Barbour County claimed the Refuse Reclamation North Award for environmental stewardship. Bostic offered, “Kanawha Energy acquired this facility which had remained on inactive status since 1985 with little maintenance and poor water quality. Over four months, the site was regarded with an alkaline amendment and seeded. Sediment control was reestablished to keep surface water contamination and erosion to a minimum and make the site more aesthetically pleasing.”
Collins Building & Contracting’s project in Tucker County claimed the Abandoned Mine Lands North Award for environmental stewardship. In making the award, Bostic, said, “Collins Building & Contracting successfully reclaimed 59 acres of abandoned mine site, enhancing environmental protection for the Blackwater River and eliminating a visual scar on the landscape. This project was located adjacent to the North Fork of the Blackwater River. The project involved backfilling of 10,000 linear feet of highway and areas of acidic spoil, scattered coal refuse and coal refuse piles that were present on the bench below the highwall.”Also announced at the WV Mining Symposium, Consol’s Turkey Gap Refuse Impoundment in Mercer County claimed the state’s top award for environmental stewardship, the Greenlands Award, while Coal-Mac’s New Ridge East Surface Mine in Mingo County took home the Turkey Habitat Award for its work in restoring former surface mine land for wildlife habitat. Several other companies were also recognized for their commitment to the environment at the Symposium, one of the nation’s top coal industry events.
“These winners and the other companies and projects that are being recognized show the importance our industry places on being environmentally responsible,” Bostic said. “Our companies are at the cutting edge of the science of environmental reclamation, recognized the world over for their work.”
The following companies also took home individual awards for environmental restoration at the Symposium:
- ·Surface Mine Reclamation South Award: Alex Energy, Inc.’s Whitman Surface Mine (Logan Co.).
- ·Coal Refuse Reclamation South Award: Pocahontas Coal Co.’s East Gulf Complex (Raleigh Co.).
- ·Deep Mine Reclamation South Award: Consol Coal Co.’s Itmann #3 Mine (Wyoming Co.).
- ·Surface Mine Reclamation North Award: Ten-A Coal Co.’s Koon Surface Mine (Marion Co.).
- ·Drainage and Sediment Control South Award: Met Resources, LLC’s McComas Surface Mine #1 (Mercer Co.).
- ·Pool Dewatering Project Award: Mingo-Logan Coal Co.’s Mountain Laurel Complex (Boone & Logan Co’s.).
- ·Drainage and Sediment Control Award: Apogee Coal Co.’s Guyan Surface Mine (Logan Co.).
- ·Haulroad Construction South Award: Met Resources, LLC’s McComas Haulroad (Mercer Co.).
- ·AML South Award:Eastern Arrow, Sugar Branch Burning Refuse (Logan Co.)