Jarrod Fletcher, OES director for Mingo County, attributed the May 9 flooding to excessive rain the prior week as well as more than four inches of rain that fell overnight. He stressed that construction being performed by Alpha Natural Resources on the King Coal Highway was not a primary cause.
Fletcher added that in the days and weeks following the flooding, Alpha officials and employees came to the aid of the county in an effort to assist in the recovery effort contributing more than 15,000 man hours, equipment and an estimated 100,000 yards of rock to assist in the rebuilding of roads and other impacted areas.
“Without our coal companies – especially Alpha Natural Resources and Massey Energy – we would be three months behind in getting our county to the point of recovery it is seeing right now,” Fletcher said. “In reference to the King Coal Highway project, Alpha has obtained the proper permits and is compliant with those permits to the best of our knowledge. No one can control Mother Nature.”
Fletcher further pointed out that while the southern region of Mingo County was devastated by the flooding, the area was not alone. Neighboring Wyoming County also suffered heavy losses due to flooding as well as neighboring Pike County, Ky., which is located just across the Tug River from Mingo County.
My family purchased our home in November, we paid for, and received a flood zoning as a requirement to the purchase. We were classified as Flood zone C, which is presumed to be either non-flooding, or so rare, as to be considered inconsequential. During communications with Mingo counties services, and in subsequent days thereafter, Mingo Counties 911 director, without verifying his own information, rushed to contact our insurance provider to indicate to them our home & region was located in the highest classification for flood zoning, Flood Zone A. Due to their attempts to reclassify the area, this would have caused nearly a thousand dollars extra in payments to obtain & maintain flood insurance, had we not had the ability at hand to disprove his claims. Devil's in the details, or the paperwork as it may be.
Mingo county took severe damage from heavy flooding, noone denies this. We also do not dispute the fact that surrounding areas were hard hit during the events of those days. Not all of which was a result of mining in our area. However despite the fact that the local mines rushed to provide, (I use the term loosely) humanitarian assistance. The area in question that this report is referring to, is directly in the path of Alpha Natural Resources flow outlet. Whether through poor design, or a complete lack of pre-planning, the waters were deposited directly into an area that has NO history of flooding. My family took a $30,000 dollar hit due to the damages. We were the lucky ones. We are capable of affording to fix the damages, over time. Other residential homes were either wiped out completely, or took so much damage to their property, that they have yet to recover.
I suggest anyone who believes ANR wasn't responsible for the devastation look into the details. Research the satellite photography. Look into the complaints taken up repeatedly with the courthouse. Residents argued to force ANR to clean up & reinforce the area's drainage outlet to prevent just such an occurrence. Which they repeatedly ignored. Red Jacket, in the Junior camp subdivision watched the flood waters rush down into the area that night directly from the ANR outlet. The water's flash flooded into our area so fast that some residents didn't even have time to evacuate, and became trapped in their homes. Mingo Counties representatives seem to believe it's in their best interest to brush this under the rug. If responsibility for the damages is proven to lay with ANR & other mines, then the precious, King Coal highway, might suffer delay's. Or possibly be be forced to redesign, or divert to another proposed plan.
That would cost Mingo county it's precious tax dollars & financial incentives from incoming tourists to the region.
This situation & the report subsequently released reeks inherently of backroom deals, and hidden political handshakes. Par for the course, as far as we're concerned. Corporate & Political financial interests in the area do not outweigh those of the citizens who live & work here day after day. We will still be here when ANR has moved on. We will remember the events of those days. We will not forget. In closing, I would advise Mingo counties representatives to choose their alliances carefully. I would also like to thank the Williamson Daily news for the opportunity to comment on the topic.