Saturday, December 12, 2009
DEP Considers Consol Dumping
WEST VIRGINIA....
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection is considering allowing Pittsburgh-based Consol Energy to resume pumping mine water from the Blacksville No. 2 mine into Dunkard Creek. Consol officials say water inside the mine is approaching critical levels, and they're worried about the safety of underground miners. The DEP stopped the practice following a ruling that golden algae killed tens of thousands of fish, mussels and other aquatic life in nearly the entire 43-mile length of Dunkard Creek in September, and pollution, likely from treated mine water, helped the algae flourish. But, typically, the algae doesn't bloom when the water is cold. DEP officials feel that would allow time to work out a solution.
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection is considering allowing Pittsburgh-based Consol Energy to resume pumping mine water from the Blacksville No. 2 mine into Dunkard Creek. Consol officials say water inside the mine is approaching critical levels, and they're worried about the safety of underground miners. The DEP stopped the practice following a ruling that golden algae killed tens of thousands of fish, mussels and other aquatic life in nearly the entire 43-mile length of Dunkard Creek in September, and pollution, likely from treated mine water, helped the algae flourish. But, typically, the algae doesn't bloom when the water is cold. DEP officials feel that would allow time to work out a solution.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:36 AM 
