CHARLESTON – Ten-A Coal Company’s Koon Surface Mine in Marion County received the Surface Mine Reclamation North Award for environmental stewardship at the West Virginia Coal Association’s 40th Annual West Virginia Mining Symposium held Mar. 6-8 in Charleston.
“We would like to congratulate Ten-A Coal Company 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.”
In making the award, Jason Bostic, vice president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said, “Ten-A Coal showed exemplary performance in reclamation of a pre-law deep mine that had created subsidence damage to a stream running through the hollow. Ten-A Coal contour mined the area and reclaimed the site. A post-mining land use plan of hayland and pasture blends in with the natural terrain and provides the landowner with a pond to provide water to livestock that now graze on the hillside.”
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.).
- ·Refuse Reclamation North Award: Wolf Run Mining Co.’s Reed Hollow Refuse (Upshur Co.).
- ·Drainage and Sediment Control South Award: Met Resources, LLC’s McComas Surface Mine #1 (Mercer Co.).
- ·Refuse Reclamation North Award: Kanawha Energy Co.’s Jackson Hollow Refuse (Barbour 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 North Award: Collins Building & Contracting (Tucker Co.)
- ·AML South Award: Eastern Arrow, Sugar Branch Burning Refuse (Logan Co.)