The Horse Creek Surface mine – S301599 – is an active 462.71 acre surface mine on Paint Creek Mountain, adjacent to Coal River Mountain and Kayford Mountain.

The permit is for mountain top removal and contour mining, has 4 valley fills and 2 variances (In-stream drainage control and within 100 feet of a stream.) The operation is discharging into Horse Creek and White Oak Creek of Clear Fork of Big Coal River of Coal River of Kanawha River.

As of August 25th, they are under a violation for non-compliance of Public Notice of Blasting Operations to nearby homes.

Over the past few years this permit has had at least 2 severe black water spills that flow directly into the Whitesville drinking water supply.

Pioneer Fuel Corporation, an Alpha subsidiary owns and operates this permit.

Written comments and/or requests for an informal conference of the permit renewal application are open until October 14.

Please comment on Pioneer Fuel Corporation, renewal of Article 3 Permit Number S-3015-99 and mail to the Permit Supervisor, DEP, 254 Industrial Drive, Oak Hill, WV 25901.
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Some Comment suggestions:

1. This surface mine is located dangerously close to people, threatening damage to their property health and well being.

2. Cumulative impacts in the Clear Fork of the Big Coal River have already occurred.
Degradation of the clear fork of the big coal river will continue to occur along with increased threats of flooding.

3. Over the past few years this permit has had at least 2 severe black water spills that flow directly into the Whitesville drinking water supply.

4. What used to be prime ramps, mushroom, ginseng and hunting land is now a pile of rubble that Alpha Natural Resources nor any other entity is capable of reclaiming to its traditional use.

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A copy of the public notice:
ADVERTISEMENT Notice is hereby given that Pioneer Fuel Corporation, 400 Patterson Lane, Charleston, WV 25311 has a permit on file with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for the surface mining of approximately 462.71 acres and has submitted an application to the DEP, 254 Industrial Drive, Oak Hill, WV 25901, for renewal of Article 3 Permit Number S-3015-99 to operate a surface mine in the Cedar Grove and splits, Alma and splits, No. 2 Gas and splits, Lower Campbells Creek, Powellton and splits, Eagle and splits seam of coal. The operation is discharging into Horse Creek and White Oak Creek of Clear Fork of Big Coal River of Coal River of Kanawha River and is located 1.5 (miles), north of Clear Creek in Clear Fork District of Raleigh County, Longitude 81 f 19′ 39″ and Latitude 37 f 55′ 54″ (Coordinates from USGS Topographic Map). Surface of the area associated herewith is owned by: NAME ADDRESS ACIN, LLC P.O. Box 2827, Huntington, WV 25727 Kingston Resources, Inc. Route 1, Box 76-C, Scarbro, WV 25917 Jenetta Ann Williams 474 White Oak Creek Road, Artie, WV 25008 Steven C. and Lisa A. Stover 735 White Oak Creek Road, Artie, WV 25008 and the mineral associated herewith is owned by: NAME ADDRESS ACIN, LLC P.O. Box 2827, Huntington, WV 25727 Buchanan Land Co. 3332 McEver Road, Blacksburg, VA 24060 Jenetta Ann Williams 474 White Oak Creek Road, Artie, WV 25008 Margaret Ann George, Lovella Wray and Charles Rogers 117 Lilly Street, Beckley, WV 25801 Surface of the area within 100 feet of the permit area is owned by: NAME ADDRESS ACIN, LLC P.O. Box 2827, Huntington, WV 25727 Southern Land Co. 300 Capital Street, Suite 1401, Charleston, WV 25301 Ronald Carroll and Jerry W. Carroll c/o Carl McClure, 103 Myers Street, Beckley, WV 25801 Truman Moles 316 1/2 26th Street, Goshen, IN 46526 Aileen Stover and Jackie Williams 168 White Oak Creek Road, Artie, WV 25008 Wavie Butler P.O. Box 172, Clear Fork, WV 25044 Lynn and Randy Workman 4570 Clear Fork Road, Clear Creek 25044 Terry and Gene Williams 4510 Clear Fork Road, Artie 25008 and the mineral within 100 feet of the permit area is owned by: NAME ADDRESS ACIN, LLC P.O. Box 2827, Huntington, WV 25727 Southern Land Co. 300 Capital Street, Suite 1401, Charleston, WV 25301 Ronald Carroll and Jerry W. Carroll c/o Carl McClure, 103 Myers Street, Beckley, WV 25801 Written comments and/or requests for an informal conference of the permit renewal application shall identify the applicant and application number and will be received by the Permit Supervisor at the DEP address above until October 14, 2011, or thirty (30) days from date of final publication. A copy of the application will be available for review until October 14, 2011, or thirty (30) days from date of final publication in the DEP Regional Office located at the address above AND in the Raleigh County Clerk’s Office during normal business hours. DEP Telephone No. 304-465-1911 Permit No. S-3015-99 9-14-WED-4-RH; LG 2908
Source: The Register Herald. Date: 24-Aug-11