This news story originally provided by The Akron Beacon Journal

August 26, 2005

Spill of coal byproduct kills stream wildlife

Associated Press

POWHATAN POINT, Ohio - Thousands of gallons of coal sludge spilled from a pipeline that did not have a required permit, killing most of the fish in a stretch of a vibrant stream, officials said.

A fist-sized hole was discovered in the three-mile-long pipeline that runs from American Energy Corp.'s Century Mine to a disposal area for slurry, a mix of water and impurities generated in coal processing.

More than 30,000 gallons of slurry have spilled into Capitina Creek, officials said.

"What it looks like is oil spill, but I've been told it's essentially the consistency of liquid cement," said Mike Settles, a spokesman for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Settles said the company had a permit from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources but did not have a required permit from the state EPA. The company applied for a permit last year, and the agency requested more information, he said.

Settles said the company has been very responsive and notified officials almost immediately after the spill.

A message was left Friday seeking comment from American Energy Corp.

Company officials noticed the hole around 4 a.m. Tuesday and workers have been at the stream since vacuuming out the slurry from a nearly 4,000-foot section of the stream. A temporary dam has been constructed to contain the spill.

The stream section contained 33 species of fish and was classified among the most vibrant bodies of water in the state, Settles said.

ODNR will fine the company based on a formula that assigns a dollar value to every animal killed by the spill, said Jane Beathard, a department spokeswoman.

The company also likely will face fines from the Ohio EPA because it did not get a required permit before building the pipeline three years ago, Settles said.

Cleanup is estimated to take several more days.