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May 8, 2006
ODNR TO HOLD MEETING IN NEW PHILADELPHIA TO DISCUSS
ABANDONED MINE PROJECTS IN NORTHEASTERN OHIO
COLUMBUS, OH - A public meeting to discuss proposed abandoned mine projects in ten northeastern Ohio counties will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, May 24 in the Business Conference Room A of the Kent State University-Tuscarawas Branch, 330 University Drive, New Philadelphia, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
ODNR Division of Mineral Resources Management staff will be available to discuss environmental, public health and safety issues associated with Ohio mines that were abandoned prior to August 3, 1977, when legislation addressing the problem went into effect.
The policies and procedures of Ohio’s Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Program will be discussed, as well as the proposed AML projects for Carroll, Columbiana, Coshocton, Jefferson, Harrison, Mahoning, Stark, Summit, Trumbull and Tuscarawas counties.
Meeting attendees are encouraged to present details of their own abandoned mines in these counties as well as Holmes, Medina, Portage and Wayne counties, and to check on eligibility for AML project funding
ODNR is seeking approximately $4.56 million in federal grant money from the U.S. Department of the Interior to fund abandoned mine clean-ups during the next year throughout the northeastern and southeastern Ohio coal mining region. A portion of that money is earmarked for 19 non-emergency projects in northeastern Ohio.
ODNR proposes to spend about $1.22 million on design and construction for these projects. Also included in the $4.56 million grant is $268,000 to improve streams impacted by acid mine drainage and $1.8 million to address emergency abandoned mine land issues in the coal region.
Non-emergency projects proposed for the northeastern Ohio mining district include:
- Excavating and backfilling several small subsidences
- Extending a waterline to replace water supply contaminated by surface and deep mine discharge
- Sealing two mine openings
- Exploratory drilling to determine the extent and severity of subsidence danger
- Backfilling or stabilizing five dangerous highwalls and eliminating associated impoundments (a portion of one will be used to create a wetland area to control runoff and preserve existing wildlife habitat)
- Upgrading or installing four mine drainage diversion systems
- Reconstruction of a dam and installation of three spillways
- Reclaiming two eroding coal refuse piles to prevent flooding and local stream sedimentation, and design of a passive water treatment system
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