This news story originally provided by The Wheeling News-Register

August 26, 2005

Coal Slurry Spill Cleanup Continues

By SHELLEY HANSON

BEALLSVILLE - A baseball-sized hole in a pipe leaked coal slurry into 2,300 feet of Captina Creek Tuesday.

Ryan Murray, manager of American Energy Corporation's Century Mine, said the slurry has been contained within 2,300 feet of the break, which occurred at about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Murray said since the break, four different contractors have worked around the clock to clean up the slurry. The hole was caused by coal and clay particles in the slurry wearing on a section of steel pipe, which was located in a low-lying spot, he said. The steel section was replaced by a new, high density polyethylene pipe, also known as HDPE.

Murray said this is the first coal slurry spill to occur in the history of the Century Mine. He said the company has submitted a "prevention plan" to the Ohio Division of Natural Resources and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, which outlines how the company plans to prevent such an accident from happening again. He said it includes replacing the four remaining sections of steel pipe along the slurry line.

He said four contractors will continue to clean the creek until the state DNR and state EPA is satisfied.

"The slurry was contained and it is not moving down stream," Murray said.

He also said water in different sections of the stream is being tested every six hours for quality, and it has registered "good." Multiple trucks are being used to pump out slurry that ponded near the break. He said the slurry is not harmful to touch, noting workers were wearing T-shirts.

"We're going to pressure wash (the creek) and look at other plans as well," Murray said. "We are committed to cleaning this up, and when we're finished, it will look as it should."

Murray said he has not received complaints from people in the community, but noted there are very few people who live near the impacted area.

"If we could have prevented it, we would have. I hope it comes through that we really do care and we really want to get it cleaned up right," Murray said, noting he has worked continuously for the past 72 hours.