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People working together for social, economic and environmental justice in Tennessee
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For release October 17, 2002
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Contact:
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SOCM office
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(865) 426-9455
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Elk Valley SOCM members fight strip mine next to elementary school; mine could be the largest strip mine in Tennessee
About 50 people crowded into the cafeteria at Elk Valley Elementary School Thursday evening to voice their concerns about the proposed 2100 acre strip mine operation in Elk Valley.
Elk Valley SOCM members have requested a public hearing to voice their concerns about a recently proposed strip mine.
"If the Office of Surface Mining approves this permit, this will be the largest strip mine to ever be mined in the state of Tennessee," commented Charles Blankenship, Elk Valley SOCM member who lives within the half-mile buffer zone of the proposed mine.
Federal regulatory laws consider the half-mile closest to the mine operations to be the area most likely to be impacted by the mine.
Coal companies are required to put in the permit how they plan to protect these homes, buildings and structures.
There are about 75 houses within a half-mile of the proposed mine that make this operation very unsettling.
During the hearing local residents stepped forward to express their concerns about the proposed strip mine operation.
They cited, safety, damage to houses and wells from blasting, the destruction of drinking water systems, and the potential for landslides and flooding that could result from the mining.
Parents and grandparents with children attending Elk Valley Elementary School expressed particular concern with the blasting since the School is just over a half-mile away.
They reminded the Office of Surface Mining that of the tragic death of a teenage boy who was hit by flyrock from a mine a few years ago while riding in a car on I-75 in Campbell County.
"Do we really want Robert Clear operating a mine next to our Elementary School?
Just this year, Mr. Clear has had three serious violations at another coal mine he is operating.
The most serious violation, took place this past January where Mr. Clear failed to publish his blasting schedule and monitor air blasting," said Blankenship, pointing out the coal companyıs questionable safety history.
Many present at the hearing expressed concern with the amount of truck traffic that this operation would create near the school.
They pointed out that the blind spots in the road combined with the speed of the trucks creates a very dangerous situation, referring to fatalities that occurred along haul roads in the area.
Still others, like Anne Hablas of Jacksboro, commented on the Office of Surface Mining giving inadequate time for public comment.
"The permit that we are commenting on tonight is not the permit that OSM will decide to approve or deny.
OSM has written to the company about problems in with this permit and asked the company to make changes.
No one here tonight has had a chance to see these changes.
We do not know what the mining operation that OSM will approve or deny will look like.
OSM is asking the company to provide more information. Why don't we get the chance to see this information," asked Hablas.
"What is the point of offering the public an opportunity to comment on a permit if the company can just go and change the permit?
We think the people who are going to be impacted by this mine have a right to review a technically complete permit and make comments on it.
Here is a letter from SOCM requesting that OSM extend reopen the comment period so that people get a chance to comment on the real permit for this mine," continued Hablas.
SOCM is a grassroots organizing group that works for social, economic and environmental justice in rural Tennessee and has worked for 30 years to ensure responsible mining.
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