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. This unretouched photograph shows a reclaimed area as it looked in May, 1970, eight months after it was surface mined. - l
: 7 . There are many misconceptions about surface mining . A. As. practiced today, surface mining is far more con- earthmovmg operations are planned to prevent as much i
. 7 ,. 7 7 espeCially as it IS practiced in the mountains of . structive than destructive. But there’s Just no getting as poss1ble any disturbance to the natural watershed of i
7 eastern Kentucky. Our purpose here 51s simply to help around. the fact that land temporarily disturbed'by sur- the area. Then, after the coal has been mined, the dis- ;
-_ you separate fact from fiction. _ face mining isn’t pretty. Whenever large quantities of turbed area is graded and the high wall backfilled to a l
5 . - _ Despite claims to the contrary, seams .of coal in earthare disturbed, the area 15 bound to be unSightly for height of four feet above the coal seam being worked,
4 4 mountainous terrain can be mined responSibly by sur- 4 a while. This is true whether you are movmg earth to Followmg grading, the area is fertilized and seeded with - l
. 7. 7 face. methods. Such seams are, in fact, being surface buildVa highway or a darn, digging a foundation for a legumes and grasses. ’5 4 - ' i
- mined right now in eastern Kentucky. Properly. Respon— building, or surface mining a seam of coal. Too often, 7 7 . _ ‘
57 _7 Sibly. And- With prompt and successful reclamation of however, critics of surface mining dwell solely on this 0.- What are the dangers 0f acid mine water polluting the 5
: -. 7 _ -. all areas disturbed in the process. part Of the operation and ignore the work that has been streams and kllhhg fiSh and plant hfe ?
I ~ 7 ' A_s surface-mine operators, we take seriously our done in reclaiming land for worthwhile and productive A, Acid mine water is a problem of mining raw coal in =
enVironmental obligations to the people of Kentucky . purposes. Bear in mind, too, that reclamation is prompt 5 some areas of the country, but not in eastern Kentucky . '
- - - anldf the nation. Wisgppgrtdstnct accllherence $0 ptroper and all operations are carefully controlled. . ' where most deposits of coal have a low sulfur content.
7. su ace-mining met 0 s. n we en orse rigi en orce- I h ' ' ' ‘ ‘ ' 4
.. , . . _ 9 , - n t ose rare instances where a01d mine water is found to ,..7
» 7 . '. merit of Kentucky’s surface-mining and reclamation law. Q‘ Controlled ' Isn t the “It" Just pushed helter-skelter b bl l t' ' th t ' d 5
4 7...,” Th t' d h f 11 - - over the Side of the mountain? e a pro 6914 regu a ions require a _impoun merit \
, 5 :7 5 .5 » b e ques 10115 3711 answers t at 0 0W “(111 give you a , _ 7 , , bas1ns be built to prevent this water from being released \ _ .
. .7. . etter understanding of the facts surrounding this issue. A- Every phase 0f surface Thlhlhg, from lhltlal Wt ”0 into streams or rivers. '
. .. . 7. \\ . We hOpe you Will take the time to read them. 7 ' 23.131 grading and d seelding, 15 planned and controlled. - 5 V \l
5 ' 7.7 , . 7- . . . - . 5 '4 1r St, a cut 15 ma e a 011g the Side Of the mountain to Q. Is there any truth to the rumor that the mining industry -7 \7
5 -'~7 ' ‘ ' ”4, 7 Q' Isn t.“ true that surface mining WI." eventiially r “m the expose the seam 0f coal. However, the width of this out plans to phase out deep-mining operations in eastern Ken- ' '
» 4.. mountains of eastern Kentucky, leavmg gaping scars and b h ‘ 1i 't d b 1 ‘ d d' h 5 - - - 9 ' 5 ' " l
. . . . - 01‘ e110 1S m1 e y regu ation, epen mg upon t e tucky in favor of surface numng . 4 . .1
7 7 -7 Mg the slopes into bare and sterile sporlbanks?V _ 5 degree of the slope. This in turn limits the amount of A None whatever Under round minin alwa sl'has . l
“5:77.75 -. ‘ A. Far. from it. Today land disturbed by surface-mining earth which ‘is displaced. In many instances, a “box” b. d .11 t" t bg th . . 51g - y fth i.
75711;;7 . - . operations, In eastern Kentucky must be efi‘ectively re~ cut is made to reduce the amount of spoil going over the 11:33:? 03:11 11023511316 0t e Kc fiiflgp 53:?” 0- -' e 3
72:7 _7 .. 7 7 claimed under the law: We can, however, understand side. In other words, only the first cut is allowed to fall '5 elm, lso ed 0:; a; afiagdqiilhctcto deey’jfhlinii‘ie méfilgg 7 .
sz .: _ your concern. The public image of surface mining is any- down the slope. The overburden from each 1r o p ya; ably ds -t-J f 1 th pt,- c ldg a t b0 ‘ '
.5 . ~ . thing but good . . . and not entirely undeserved. additional cut is then carefully built up on gulf“: gtheic‘ wepoiiosr 2-sfzcegble 35110151158 12331 i: 5
,7 4.77 . 7 _In the past, abuse of land _by some operators was top of this initial layer of displaced earth. f d 5 3th ' a); t p ‘ "f '1 ' 1 i I
_ ifs—,1, 5.74.7 fairly common. This was particularly true in the early The result looks like this: doun 1.” d e perime “7°” on crop area 0 prev10us y 7 '
fl 7 . . years of surface mining and during World War II. In the ' Q B t h t M t 1 ti 4, Is ’t th' . t “hit eep-mine seams. .
,. 4 . - 5 «4 . uwaa urecama on. n is usa -or- . . ' - . '
. 7. 4. . . mountains of Kentucky, such areas are called orphan miss”. r0 osition 9 J Q. If the principal source of coal comes from deep mines, 7
y . 7 - banks. Unfortunately, these eyesores constitute a leg- 1’7 P ‘ . why surface mine at all" Isn’t this being a bit greedy? i
V ' acy of abuse that we have inherited. But such irrespon- 7 A. Definitely not. Reclamation is just as important to 7 .5 5 ' ' 3
5 7' 7 . srble practices are no longer permitted. ' responSIble operators as the mining phases of their oper- 31 1;, hhght seehtihsi- ,hht most PeOPllea (hnce they 1(th . 5; -
' 4 ’ ‘ . 5 . ations. And they’re doing a ood 'ob f 't It t b 6 ac 5) agree a 1 15 necessary. 0 fly as never ' l
, 7 . 9 4 g J o l . mus e . . . . . . 1
7.37 7. . 7 2-3th not - If it happened before, cant It happen . remembered, however, that there’s no such thing as fore coal is in critically short supply. America’s indus- ;
1' ' g ' ' - 7 7 “instant” reclamation. Successful restoration of mined ' tries depend “19.0? 1t: S‘? do you. More than half 0f the . ’
7 5 A. Not really. Today the law and re lations of the an ta 3 im ' ' count s electric1t lS roduced b coal. It IS needed in
_ 7 $117 e t e . . . time for seeds to germinate . . . for ry 7 , y P, Y . .
7, _ - ~ commonwealth carefully spell out reclamation and plant- root systems to develop . . . for vegetation to take hold V33”; quantities for making steel: And thousands 0f by-
. 7 - mg schedules for surface-mined land. Kentucky, in fact, and thrive. products come from coal: medicmes, chemicals, plastics, . i
. has one of the strongest reclamation laws in the-nation. Reclamation of mined land in mountainous terrain nylon, cosmetics. Things you use every day. ’ - ‘. - -
' ' 7 . . Among other things-{regulations under the law limit the is a relatively new science. But much progress has-been At present, there are millions 0f tons 0f much-needed . .3
» amount of earth which can be displaced and require that made. Hydroseeding techniques are now commonly coal “1 eastern Kentucky that can be mined only by 7 7
7 5 . .5 enposed coal becovered Wl7th earth 111 a hmIted time or used to seed and fertilize graded slopes and benches. surfaCe methods. Neither the mining industry “91' the i / 5
. 5 . 75 . distance. In addition, the disturbed area must be seeded Experiments have been undertaken with state and fed- natlon can afford to lose or neglect this valuable mineral . ‘
5 1. ‘ 1n the next planting season to obtain coverage 0f at eral conservation agencies to determine the advantages resource. .TO». obtain thls coal we must disturb the land ‘ .
'5 7 ’ ‘ - _ least 70 Pel' cent. ' ~ 5 of various seeds and legumes for specific reclamation temporarily. Thls 15 one price WP pay for our American 7
. _ .. V77. ' Even prior to the enactment of the law, many respon- needs: for restoring aesthetic beauty to the land 7 7 7 for standard of livmg. But we dont have to pay the price :4
7 3 7 ' ‘ Sible operators made it a practice always to reclaim stabilizing the soil against erosion 7 7 7 for quick cover forever. Today, under the 18W, surface-mined land 15 » ‘2
4777- _7 . 7 surface-mmed land . . . not because the were re uired w is re i u ' _ always reclaimed——— rom t1 , ro erl , res onsibly. l -
.. 7 7 _y 7 q s a grasses and shrubs develop...for attract P P y P P Y P ,
' ‘ 5 . to do so . . . but because it was the right thing to do. ing wild game and bird life. ' ~ . . 5 ‘ i
- . 77'- 57 7 Wh - . . __ Q. What other benefits result from surface-mimng and _g
' . .5 7 . . - _ g'i not: :gfifieolsngable shouId an operator choose Q. What consideration is given to preventing the hap- ‘ reclamation activities in eastern Kentucky? - ;
- '7' ‘ 7 A $11 If ' h . h h .11 hazard destruction of timberland ? j _ A. The creation of readily accessible and usable flat land 5 l
.- .t Thplma res artilsea’ere enoufg htoéhsurel: 3157 91‘!" A. ResponSible surface-mine operators see to it that in mountainous areas 15 one of the prime benefits that 7!
g , nigh 1e aVZEIVeSh e lreetOIfi) 1t ell entuc .y “/1151th timber in a section to .be mined is selectively cut and surface mining has to-ofi‘er. Mined land that has been ” l
' 0 cc ama 19h” e power to a ta operation-s W 7“" harvested prior to mining the coal; And although it is properly reclaimed can be used for many worthwhile . 7
4 5 5 45,5». ‘ Cher the reqnirements are hOt being met. In addltloh» not required by law, many operators plant trees on the purposes: home sites, industrial sites, cattle grazing, ‘ .
- 7 ihe opefator “915.31 minimum fine ,Of $1,000 3! day Whhe outslopes after the land is reclaimed to provide reforest- solid Waste disposal, game preserves, and recreation and
' 7 - reguiignzthgghegms. tCOTthPhahtCe 11’s fidrltah? insure? bby ation and more effective stabilization of the soil. - tourist areas. . ' 5 ‘
' ' ' . . pera .0" 0 P05 a on e ore WOT e- . . ‘ Still another benefit is increased em 10 merit in an .
-' ' 5 8th 1h amounts ranging from $100 “3 $590 an acre for Q‘ Aren’t Ian'tilslidesp °°.}“m°“ occurrence m areas that area where jobs are scarce. In the cougtigs of eastern :
Eli/ah acre affected. If the area 18 not reclaimed PFOPeT1Y4 have been 75“ ace mined ° _ 7 7 7 7 Kentucky, the surface-mining industry has provided 5
7 . . e ‘onds are forfeited and the proceeds placed in a A. Landslides are always a pOSSibility in mountainous thousands of men with good paying jobs 7 _ _ jobs that
hpecmlfundfor reclamation of the area involved. Sur- terrain, whether or not land has been surface mined. otherwise would not be available . . . that contribute to
7 ace mining is no longer a do-as-you-please industry. But today 5 effective reclamation methods have vastly the support of many additional thousands 7 . . that help
7 i . Q. How is surface mining done in mountainous country ? reduifd the danger Of serious landslides 1“ surface- stem the7fl0‘7V70f 0111' young people to the mills and plants
_ A. In eastern Kentucky, seams of coal appear as opt- mine areas. 7 _ L 0f the big Cltles' - i
4 . Chips on mfunfim slopes . . . like icing in the middle of Q. How do you control silt and debris ? Aren’t they car- * * * * - * - *
' 5 ‘ a ayer ea c. ost of the coal is removed from the tied into the streams to cause flooding in the hollows? . ' . . 4 § ,
. , . . interior of the mountain by7deep-mining methods. How- - - 4 i - ~ AS surface-mine ope rators,_ we have two hesPonSlbleJObs ” '
. . ever, weak rock formations make it too dan erous to A. VPrior to beginning an operation, the operator 18 re- to perform: to supply the nation With its demand for 7 g
7 _ deep mine coal near the outcrop To et atgthis coal quired to build Silt basms and check dams to stopsedi- more coal . . . and to return surface-mined land to bene- S
7 ,. 7 around the edge ofthe seam, a surface of; is made in the ment and debris from clogging the streams. _In addition, ficial use. We intend to do both Jobs well. i
’; 5 ‘ hillside. The operation is much like building a highway ‘ i
7- . on a hillSide, except that after the coal is removed, the I , ,
‘7 _V . 7 4 area 18 gradedand planted with vegetation instead of - 7 -- ' W‘ '
. ._ ‘. :: 7 _ being paved With asphalt or concrete. SURFACE MINING AND . ‘ I,
7.5. ' ‘ :7 5 7 7 7;. - 7 Q. Even so, isn’t surface mining a destructive and un- ' ' A I 2
': ‘ - '5 5. i ‘ .V Sightly busmoss? . RECLAMATION ASSOCIATION A" N " i I
». ”7 2201/2 SECOND STREET. PIKEVILLE, KENTUCKY 41501 5'
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