Battle over coal continues to heat up in Appalachia: Citizens challenge coal exploration in Rock Creek.
Bledsoe County, TN: The Office of Surface Mining’s (OSM’s) Knoxville Field Office is reviewing a proposal to allow coal exploration in the highly acidic Sewanee coal seam of the Rock Creek watershed. Over twenty years ago OSM designated this watershed part of the Rock Creek Lands Unsuitable for Mining because no technology had been demonstrated to safely handle the highly toxic acid mine drainage. As recently as January 2006 the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) reiterated in a letter to SOCM that they were not aware of any effective handling plan for acidic mine drainage. Paul Sloan, Deputy Commissioner of TDEC, wrote, “We do not see how we could approve such applications.” In spite of TDEC and in spite of OSM’s own Lands Unsuitable for Mining designation, OSM is still considering a permit for coal exploration in the Rock Creek watershed. If passed, the permit would overturn a twenty year precedent, undermine state regulation, and ignore citizens’ concerns.
In an effort to prevent the watershed from being opened up to mining, local citizens are challenging the proposed exploration. Landon Medley of the SOCM Strip Mine Committee commented, “We are currently aware of no ‘proven’ scientific technology to address acidic mine drainage in the Sewanee coal seam of Tennessee. The people of Bledsoe County as well as the Strip Mine Committee are astonished at the possibility of further mining considerations.”
Additionally, the Cumberland Trail passes through the Rock Creek watershed. Roger Downs is concerned that the trail, one of Tennessee’s newest resources, will be compromised by mining. Roger stated, “The Cumberland Trail is a resource utilized by people all over Tennessee. The beauty of the trail is not only a community asset but a state asset as well. That portion in the Rock Creek watershed was one of the first to be completed. I can imagine the once clear streams becoming discolored from the acidic mine drainage into the upper tributary streams. Mining would ruin the trail forever.”
Citizens’ rights to public comment on the exploration permit have been hampered on several occasions. In three separate attempts Marsha Downs, a property owner and longtime citizen of Bledsoe County, was unable to obtain the exploration permit at the Bledsoe County Courthouse. David Hardeman, a citizen of Bledsoe and a SOCM member, noted that the federally required public notice in the local newspaper, the Bledsonian Banner, listed an incorrect comment closing date as well as the wrong address for submitting public comments.
Under federal mining law the Office of Surface Mining has a duty to provide adequate information and to allow open citizen access and comment.
To address OSM's failure to follow federal law, the citizens in Bledsoe, in coalition with the Strip Mine Committee, formally requested that the Office of Surface Mining extend the public comment period.
Marsha Downs states, "We are concerned that individuals or companies with a disregard for minimum requirements could carry out a safe and environmentally sound exploration in the beautiful mountainous areas we have grown up loving and wish to remain pristine for our children."
After submitting multiple requests, the Office of Surface Mining stated, "We expect the public comment period will elapse on April 29th," but since has failed to verify this information.
Save Our Cumberland Mountains Strip Mine Committee and the concerned citizens in Bledsoe call upon the Department of Environment and Conservation, as well as Governor Bredesen, to take a stance on this issue and to ask the Office of Surface Mining to deny the permit to explore acidic seam coal.
Please send comments on the proposed Rock Creek Coal Exploration to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, attn Paul Sloan, 401 Church St, L & C Annex, 1st Floor, Nashville, TN 37243 and the Office of Surface Mining, attn Fred Klimas, 710 Locust St, 2nd Floor, Knoxville, TN 37902.
To get involved in challenging mountain top removal mining in the State of Tennessee contact lauren@socm.org or call 865 426-9455.
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