This panel, comprised of representatives from the public and private sectors, gave a snapshot of where the mining industry stands in regard to obtaining permits and using land which has been mined for economic development.
The Corridor G Regional Development Authority held a Post Mine Land Use (PMLU) forum in Logan Monday to bring together stakeholders to share information about the state of economic development stemming from the practice.
Among those who spoke at the forum were Randy Huffman, Cabinet Secretary for the WV Department of Environmental Protection (EPA), Terry Clarke, Project Manager for the Army Corps of Engineers and Randall Harris, Project Manager for the Mingo County Redevelopment Authority (MCRA) and Governor Joe Manchin.
Several projects in Mingo County are the result of PMLU, which, as a rule, involves a company removing minerals from a property and then re-contouring the site for use in economic development. Twisted Gun Golf Course, the Hatfield McCoy Trail System, the Mingo County Air Transportation Park, the Wood Products Industrial Park and the new Mingo County Hybrid Energy Center are all examples of PMLU.
Randy Huffman with the EPA said he feels the agency needs to communicate with the industry to ensure all parties involved know what is expected of them.
“There are processes in place [to obtain and comply with permits]. Whenever a permit application has made, everyone knew the rules.” Huffman said. “Then, after the inauguration, they [EPA] turned that on its head.”
Nationally, there have been 79 surface mining permit applications ‘red flagged’, or delayed, by the EPA. Of those, 21 are in West Virginia. The list of reasons the EPA is giving for the delays has grown, Huffman said.
“There are several reasons,” he explained, “Water quality, forest fragmentation, cumulative impact, mitigation, monitoring and minimizing the environmental footprint are some of them.”
Huffman said when he asked an EPA official why there were so many varied reasons, he was told, off the record, the agency included a long list “because we didn’t know what would stick.”
“The EPA says they are not trying to stop surface mining,” Huffman said, “But their message is not coming across.”
“Post mine land use may be becoming an oxymoron,” Jim Corsaro, VP of operations with Penn Virginia Resource Partners said. “All use of land calls for flattening and infrastructure.”
Corsaro’s group consists of 47 entities who hold over 700,000 acres of property with coal, timber and natural gas.
“It seems ludicrous, but one of the objections to a permit was that it [PMLU] would lead to economic development,” Corsaro said. “How can anyone object to economic development?”
Corsaro went on to say the Mingo County Redevelopment Authority has been indispensable in the development in the county.
“Kudos to MCRA,” he said. “Their land use master plan is a fine example of planning.”
Randy Harris, Project Manager for the MCRA, said Mingo County is generally not attractive to new industry.
Governor Manchin said environmental responsibility key to mining. He explained that in order to take advantage of a land use master plan citizens must be able to benefit from the land recreationally, economically or through agriculture.
Manchin said the state is working hard to create and save jobs, protect the environment and stimulate the economy.
“West Virginia counties have few things to attract new businesses, so we have to grow our own form what we have,” Harris said. “It is a slow process, but it works.”
He went on to explain the new coal-to-liquid facility planned for the county is an example of a long term time investment.
“It has been a lot of work,” he said, “The Transgas facility is a $3 billion investment, but it has taken, so far three and a half years so far.”
He said that, as far as the air quality permit for the plant, the Department for Environmental Protection is now holding a public comment period and encouraged people contact the agency to show their support.
“The DEP needs comments by the end of November,” Harris said. “It is the number of comments that is important.”
The governor said the state passed legislation that he hopes will keep West Virginia moving in a progressive manner with the Alternative and Renewable Portfolio Act.
He added that, in addition to coal, the state is supporting diversification in energy production with different types of renewable energy such as wind power, biomass technology, hydro resources, natural gas and solar power.
Randy Huffman with the EPA said the coal industry is going to have to change with the times in order to stay viable. He offered a pragmatic attitude toward the challenges facing mining.
“We are supposed to stay optimistic, but it is frustrating,” he said. “Large scale and surface mining is going to fundamentally change forever. There is a change in society – it is what it is. We will have to make concessions, we need to deal with it.”
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