By Dianne Byers

March 23, 2018 - In Pennsylvania, members of Westover Borough Council, Westover Municipal Authority and residents presented testimony against a coal company’s request to open a job site in close proximity to Westover’s drinking water source.

The state Department of Environmental Protection hosted an informational meeting Wednesday at the Westover Area Volunteer Fire Co.’s social hall to allow residents to speak about an application filed with the agency for a surface mining permit.

A Westover, PA resident address P&N Coal Co. officials Wednesday during a hearing. 

P&N Coal Co., Punxsutawney, has submitted a permit application to DEP to surface mine bituminous coal in the Oldaker operation. The job is on 37 acres of a 51.4-acre site adjacent to and north of Rogues Harbor Run watershed near Westover.

Following an open house in the first hour where the approximately 75 people attending could speak with DEP, borough and coal company officials and examine maps associated with the permit and proposed mining site, those registered could speak about the application. DEP officials recorded testimony given at the meeting and will appraise the statements while the agency’s staff is conducting a review of the mining permit application according to DEP Community Relations Spokesperson Megan Lehman.

“DEP gives equal consideration to all public comments. Comments will be reviewed by staff during the decision-making process,” Lehman said.

Members of DEP’s mining office staff did not answer or respond to comments presented during the public testimony portion of the meeting.

The majority of the remarks made by the 12 persons who spoke centered around concerns that blasting and mining activity could damage both the borough’s water source in Rogues Harbor Run or the water tanks and distribution main lines nearby.

Residents examine a map of proposed strip mining activity in the Rogues Harbor Run watershed.

Westover Borough Councilman Kevin Westover said the permit application calls for blasting to be performed about 25 feet from the tank that holds 100,000 gallons of water and 40 feet from the concrete, asbestos-encased distribution pipes.

“My concern is the company would blast Friday morning, rupturing the lines and draining the tank. Company workers would go home. The fire company would be dispatched for a fire Friday evening and when firefighters connected their hoses to the lines there would be no water. People could die.”

“Our water is a lifeline for the community. Our 170 homes and businesses depend on that water every day. It could create a financial crisis if something were to happen to either the water tank or the lines. P&N’s permit application states the mining activity is unlikely to impact private water supplies but what about this public supply?,” Westover said.

He estimated it would cost about $1 million each to replace the tank or about 1 mile of the line.

Westover also spoke about water quality of Rogues Harbor Run. He said it is classified as an exceptional value stream by DEP and is also home to migratory species.

“There is not another stream with that high of a designation within 30 miles of Westover Borough. This community has excellent water. We want to keep it.”

He said he hopes DEP would protect the watershed by not approving the application. “I really hope DEP would live up to its name and protect our environment and our community’s drinking water.”

Westover Borough Councilman Tracey Hoyt agreed.

“We want DEP to enforce more stringent laws in regards to the water. The loss of it would be detrimental to our town. Council is not opposed to mining we just want to protect our water source so that residents have pure clean water,” Hoyt said.

Westover Municipal Authority Member Tammy Gallaher said the authority is concerned the borough’s water supply could become contaminated either through the distribution lines breaking or run-off from the sediment ponds on the property.

She said the application includes providing a bond of $159,000. “That amount won’t begin to replace items that could be destroyed.”

Resident Don Pierce expressed concern about the pre-mining land clearing and timbering and the following mining activity would allow catastrophic flooding on Water Street if there is a storm. He said Westover Baptist Church located along that street has a cemetery beside it.

“People don’t want mine run-off running through the cemetery, some people would say that is a desecration of graves. They want it to stay nice and neat and be respectful to the dead.”

Other residents spoke about the borough’s potential for flooding that could be emphasized by mining activity. Resident Dennis Neff said, “I have seen the effects work done on that hill has had on the borough. There was flooding in (Chest Creek) the likes that were never seen there before. Who is going to protect Westover down the road? I don’t want my house to be under water.”

Lehman said in closing, written comments about the proposed application will be accepted through Wednesday, March 28. Letters may be sent to DEP Chief Technical Services David Bisko by email at dbisko@pa.gov or through the U.S. Postal Service at 186 Enterprise Drive, Philipsburg, PA 16866.

A copy of the permit application is available for review at the Clearfield County Conservation District, 3695 Clearfield-Woodland Hwy., Suite 2, Clearfield during its business hours. 

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