Monday, May 12, 2008
Pike County Judge Executive Blasts Consol
During the recent annual meeting of the Big Sandy Watershed Conference, Pike County Judge/Executive Wayne T. Rutherford made his views on Consol Energy’s dumping of brine discharge into the Big Sandy River perfectly clear.
“I support coal mining 100 percent,” Rutherford said, “but I also am 100 percent against degradation of the Big Sandy River.”
In addition to Rutherford, others attending the conference included Joann Palmer with the Kentucky Division of Water; Carolyn Baker, Chair of the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission; Jennifer Osborne, Environmental Coordinator with Equitable Production; Gerald Ramsey, Supervisor of Environmental Permitting for Consol Energy, in addition to guest speaker Judith Peterson, Director of Kentucky Waterways Alliance.
Rutherford has offered in the past the need for a balance that would adequately meet the needs of both citizens and coal corporations such as Consol in such matters.
However, during the watershed conference, Rutherford made more pointed remarks, reminding Consol representatives that officials on both state and local levels have been outspoken in opposition to the company’s discharge.
“Pike County officials, Buchanan County officials and officials with the city of Grundy have been unable to stop the dumping,” Rutherford said. “I would remind those attending this conference that the Big Sandy River Basin’s vision is to achieve and sustain drinkable, fishable and swimmable water in the Big Sandy Tri-State Watershed. We must continue.”
Consol Energy’s Buchanan No. 1 mine has been actively pumping the brine discharge from an abandoned mine through a 19-mile pipeline that leads into the Levisa Fork near Grundy, Va., 12 miles upstream from the Kentucky border leading into Fishtrap Lake, which provides drinking water to a large portion of Pike County.
Numerous attempts have been made to see Consol’s permit to discharge denied, as Rutherford mention during the conference, but eventually a permit was issued.
In March, the Kentucky Division of Water (DOW) assured Pike officials that weekly monitoring would take place along the Levisa Fork, along the Kentucky border and also at Fishtrap. The testing would check water quality and algae content, DOW officials said at the time.
However, Consol’s permit, issued by Virginia officials, does not require them to treat for the removal of chloride content in the discharge. Consol spokesperson Joe Cerenzia said last year “there’s not an easy way to remove the chloride.” The cost of addressing the chloride has been the key reason stated.
Instead the discharge will be dumped into the river at a rate of 1,000 to 1,500 gallons a minute over a three-quarter mile “mixing zone.”
This mixing zone has been scrutinized by at least one college professor, in addition to the constant opposition offered by Rutherford and many others.
Don Orth, a Virginia Tech professor of fisheries and wildlife science made the statement last year that “a mixing zone is a place where animals will die.”
Rutherford also cited this statement and his own responsibilities and duties in relation to such information while taking aim at attending officials during last week’s conference.
“I represent all citizens who rely on the waters of the Big Sandy River in various ways,” Rutherford said, and then, directing his attention to Consol’s Gerald Ramsey, added: “Consol’s great environmental record has been tarnished by this dumping, and it is one of the largest coal corporations in America. They can afford to treat this sludge before they dump. Shame on Consol.”
“I support coal mining 100 percent,” Rutherford said, “but I also am 100 percent against degradation of the Big Sandy River.”
In addition to Rutherford, others attending the conference included Joann Palmer with the Kentucky Division of Water; Carolyn Baker, Chair of the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission; Jennifer Osborne, Environmental Coordinator with Equitable Production; Gerald Ramsey, Supervisor of Environmental Permitting for Consol Energy, in addition to guest speaker Judith Peterson, Director of Kentucky Waterways Alliance.
Rutherford has offered in the past the need for a balance that would adequately meet the needs of both citizens and coal corporations such as Consol in such matters.
However, during the watershed conference, Rutherford made more pointed remarks, reminding Consol representatives that officials on both state and local levels have been outspoken in opposition to the company’s discharge.
“Pike County officials, Buchanan County officials and officials with the city of Grundy have been unable to stop the dumping,” Rutherford said. “I would remind those attending this conference that the Big Sandy River Basin’s vision is to achieve and sustain drinkable, fishable and swimmable water in the Big Sandy Tri-State Watershed. We must continue.”
Consol Energy’s Buchanan No. 1 mine has been actively pumping the brine discharge from an abandoned mine through a 19-mile pipeline that leads into the Levisa Fork near Grundy, Va., 12 miles upstream from the Kentucky border leading into Fishtrap Lake, which provides drinking water to a large portion of Pike County.
Numerous attempts have been made to see Consol’s permit to discharge denied, as Rutherford mention during the conference, but eventually a permit was issued.
In March, the Kentucky Division of Water (DOW) assured Pike officials that weekly monitoring would take place along the Levisa Fork, along the Kentucky border and also at Fishtrap. The testing would check water quality and algae content, DOW officials said at the time.
However, Consol’s permit, issued by Virginia officials, does not require them to treat for the removal of chloride content in the discharge. Consol spokesperson Joe Cerenzia said last year “there’s not an easy way to remove the chloride.” The cost of addressing the chloride has been the key reason stated.
Instead the discharge will be dumped into the river at a rate of 1,000 to 1,500 gallons a minute over a three-quarter mile “mixing zone.”
This mixing zone has been scrutinized by at least one college professor, in addition to the constant opposition offered by Rutherford and many others.
Don Orth, a Virginia Tech professor of fisheries and wildlife science made the statement last year that “a mixing zone is a place where animals will die.”
Rutherford also cited this statement and his own responsibilities and duties in relation to such information while taking aim at attending officials during last week’s conference.
“I represent all citizens who rely on the waters of the Big Sandy River in various ways,” Rutherford said, and then, directing his attention to Consol’s Gerald Ramsey, added: “Consol’s great environmental record has been tarnished by this dumping, and it is one of the largest coal corporations in America. They can afford to treat this sludge before they dump. Shame on Consol.”
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 6:16 PM 
