This news story originally provided by Appalachian News Express

July14, 2005

Big Creek waters victimized again

BY JANIE TAYLOR
STAFF WRITER

For the third time in two weeks, a blackwater spill at Big Creek has plagued the Tug Fork River. Officials are faulting Sydney Coal and Long Fork Coal prep plants.

The heavy pollution also resulted in a fish kill, reported Monday, state inspectors said.

The first incident, June 30, remains under investigation, authorities said. Thursday, July 7, another spill poured sludge into the already weakened stream. Finally, a July 10 spill was reported Sunday afternoon.

Pike County Deputy Emergency Management Director C.J. Childress said the July 7 spill was sourced to Sydney.

"It was confirmed that the pollution was coming out of a Sydney Coal contamination pond," Childress said. "As soon as we heard, I sent the Big Creek Fire Chief to do a primary assessment."

Childress said he reported the spill to state authorities.

"I called the division of water and told them where it was coming from," Childress said. "Blackwater spills can leave as fast as they come, so it's hard to cite someone for them. Unless someone can be there as it's coming out."

According to Childress, sludge ponds are designed to spill before they break.

"It usually happens when there's a hard rain," Childress said. "There's usually no danger of a pond breaking because they're designed with a spillway to let the water drain off. A storm usually stirs everything in the pond up and the solids also spill out."

Late Sunday's rainfall allowed more blackwater to begin swirling through Big Creek, state inspectors said.

Kentucky Division of Water spokesman Chuck Wolfe said both Sydney Coal and Long Fork Coal were tagged with violations and issued orders of cessation for the past two spills.

"The investigation has been completed on each, cessation was ordered and both have been abated," Wolfe said. "They fixed the problems, according to the inspectors. They did whatever was required."

Wolfe said penalties for each are in progress.

"The penalties will be determined in each case by the division of mine reclamation and enforcement," Wolfe said. "Sunday night's spill was reported to the division by a citizen in that area. They made a request for an inspector, and two of them went out there late."

Wolfe said the discharge was coming from a Sydney Coal sediment pond located below a slurry impoundment.

According to Wolfe, both mining prep plants received water quality and effluent limitation violations. Sydney had an additional general hydrologic charge.

"That relating to the fish kill, for upsetting the balance of the stream," Wolfe said. "Sydney Coal was given oral notice of cessation. That has now been lifted."

Johnny Taylor, a Big Creek resident, said he saw the June 30 spill first hand.

"It was running black," Taylor said. "That's not the first time this has happened. It doesn't do any good to report it."

Taylor said he's always believed the contamination comes from area mining prep plants.

"It's killed everything in the water," Taylor said. "I challenge any environmentalist to find any form of life in this river."

Department for Natural Resources Division of Mine Reclamation and Enforcement Manager Temp in Pikeville Allen Luttrell said the mines would be penalized, again.

"Sydney has a history of violations," Luttrell said. "The penalty and assessment process begins at the time of the abatement and usually lasts a couple of weeks, unless a hearing is requested."

Sydney Coal President Sid Young was unavailable for comment Tuesday, but stated in an interview earlier last week that his company wasn't responsible for the June 30 spill.

Wolfe said inspectors were continuing to review photos, submitted by Big Creek residents, of the discharge to determine the point source of pollution.

Staff Writer Janie Taylor can be reached via e-mail at jtaylor@news-expressky.com.