The Secretary's ScrapBook

Consol Energy’s longwall mine moved right through the section of Enlow Fork showcased in PADEP Secretary Dave Hess’ "Scrapbook" (LINK TO THE SECRETARY'S SCRAPBOOK). The coal seam that the longwall machine was ripping out lay less than four hundred feet below the stream bed – a situation termed by PADEP as "low cover mining". Under low cover mining conditions, the mining company must give additional assurance to PADEP for the protection of perennial streams. With these additional assurances, DEP permitted Consol to mine underneath Enlow Fork.

Not everyone was happy with the results. Undermining Enlow Fork under these low cover conditions resulted in subsidence that caused pooling in reaches of Enlow Fork. RPF wasn’t at all happy with the results, and filed a 60 day notice of intent to sue PADEP,  Consol, and US Office of Surface Mining (LINK TO 60 DAY NOTICE). The PA Fish and Boat Commission and the PA Game Commission were not happy either. These agencies were so concerned over these habitat changes that they sued Consol and PADEP over their permit extension to do the same type of mining under Dunkard Fork. The DEP and Consol settled this lawsuit with PFBC and PGM and agreed in the settlement to develop and implement a mitigation plan for the pooled stream reaches above mining panels 9C and 10C. The logic was, if you can put Enlow Fork back together, then we (DEP) will allow you to screw up Dunkard Fork and fix it later, too.

We're not aware of any particular plan, but under the cover of an emergency permit, Consol attempted their mitigation. DEP Secretary Dave Hess’ "Scrapbook" shows sections where mitigation work has been completed. In one picture we see folks fishing for trout stocked by the PA Fish and Boat Commission. Those two fishermen are in the upper part (or "head") of an approximately 900 foot pool created by mine subsidence. No, longwall mining does not cause "high spots" as the Secretary’s scrapbook contends, it creates low spots. The high spots are where the stream used to be. In fact, if you look closely at the secretary’s picture of the fishermen, you can see the natural width of the stream as it enters the subsided pool from an unsubsided gate (area where support is left under the stream).

And it’s a good thing those fishermen are right there, because most of the pool looks like this (LINK TO PICTURE OF MUDTRAIL). This isn’t really a pool at all; just a wide, shallow, slow moving, sediment choked stream reach. This reach of stream used to have riffles in it, those sections of stream that oxygenate the stream and provide habitat to aquatic insects and fish, such as darters, that live in the rocks. Because these subsided areas are now wide and slow moving (think mudpuddle here) they accumulate sediment. Here's another picture that didn’t make the Secretary’s Scrapbook. (LINK TO PICTURE OF THE SEDIMENT). This sediment was lifted out of the same pool that Secretary Hess showcased in his "Scrapbook". This is the kind of sediment that fills the spaces between gravel, rocks, and cobbles where macroinvertebrates (aquatic bugs) and fish such as darters live.

Have they fixed Enlow Fork? We don’t think so. But don’t worry. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is allowing Consol Energy to monitor their own progress, so I'm sure they'll tell us if things aren’t working out. Just in case, I think we’ll keep an eye open.

The independent scientific study that Secretary Hess mentioned? Well that study is being done on another creek – Robinson Fork, a tributary to Enlow Fork. Oh, that's right, Secretary Hess didn’t mention the fact that this has happened to other streams, too. Robinson Fork, Templeton Fork, Rocky Run, Roberts Run, Bulldog Run, Hoovers Run, Whitely Creek, Muddy Creek, Pursley Creek, Laurel Run, and probably more. This planned disaster is in the works for streams in the Bailey, Emerald, and the Eighty Four Mine extensions.

We suggest that Secretary Hess buy a lot more film (or a bigger memory card) for his camera. It looks like the "Scrapbook" will be filled with pictures of all of these stream restorations. We will continue to keep our eyes peeled for success stories, and we will let you know if we find one.

<<<<END>>>>

return