ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY BOARD Area Unsuitable for Coal Mining [26 Pa.B. 3168] Fayette and Westmoreland Counties The Environmental Quality Board (Board) approved the Department of Environmental Protection's final recommendation not to designate the Indian Creek petition area as unsuitable for surface coal mining activities. This recommendation was based on a technical study and evaluation of public comments.
A petition submitted by Beverly Braverman, representing the Mountain Watershed Association, asked that a 10,000-acre portion of the Indian Creek watershed, located in Saltlick Township, Fayette County, and Donegal Township and Donegal Borough, Westmoreland County, receive the designation. The petition asserted that reclamation of surface and underground mining is not technologically and economically feasible because previous mining has resulted in acid mine drainage that has degraded the surface and groundwater. The petition also asserted that further mining would adversely affect aquatic resources, recreational and natural areas and historic buildings and would degrade or diminish public and private water supplies, springs and aquifers.
The Department's review concluded that while there is strong potential that underground mining would cause an acid mine drainage problem, sufficient data is not available to state with certainty that mining within certain portions of the petition area would result in such damage.
Notice of the Department's proposed recommendation not to designate the area was published at 25 Pa.B. 4270 (October 7, 1995) with a 30-day public comment period. Copies of the final recommendation, which includes the technical study and comment and response documents addressing comments received on the petition and those addressing the proposed recommendation, are available from Mick McCommons, Bureau of Mining and Reclamation, 2nd Floor, Executive House, P. O. Box 8641, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8461, telephone (717) 787-4761, or through e-mail to McCommons.Mick@a1.dep.state.pa.us.
JAMES M. SEIF,
Chairperson[Pa.B. Doc. No. 96-1100. Filed for public inspection July 5, 1996, 9:00 a.m.]
