King Coal

You only have to take a passing glance at today's Observer-Reporter to understand the impact that the coal industry has on the 46th Legislative District. Today's O-R carries one coal-related story from one of the northern reaches of the 46th and another coal-related story from the southern border of the 46th.

Caroline Shannon reports that Tuesday evening the Robinson Township Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the township supervisors deny permits for the construction of a new $425-million power plant that would burn refuse coal from the "gob pile" near Beach Hollow Road and the McDonald/Midway exit of Route 22-30.

Linda Metz has a report on the anxiety of some residents of South Franklin Township whose homes are above an area that is slated to be mined by longwall coal-mining. Linda reports that:

... CONSOL Energy announced plans to expand Enlow Fork mine by about 7,050 acres for longwall mining and revise 2,638 acres of its current development mining to longwall mining.

The expansion will affect property in East Finley, South Franklin and Morris townships. Streams to be impacted include Crafts Creek, Ten Mile Creek, Templeton Fork, Buffalo Creek and Sawhill Run.

The mine's current permit consists of 26,627 underground acres and 488 surface acres. The expansion will take the mine's boundaries to within two miles of Interstate 70 and Route 18 in Prosperity, and one mile to Claysville.