This news originally provided by WV Public Radio

January 6, 2006

Coal impoundment dam cited several times for construction violations

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By Dan Heyman  (MSHA part 2 - see part 1)

For much of the past year, controversy has surrounded a Raleigh County coal impoundment filled with more than 200 million gallons of coal waste, rock and water. There are about 150 coal waste impoundments in West Virginia, but the one run by Massey Energy subsidiary Goals Coal Company is different because the dam holding back all the slurry, rock and water is above an elementary school. Top MSHA officials insist the dam is safe; so does Massey Energy. In August, we reported that MSHA inspectors found seepage at the dam that Davitt McAteer found troubling. McAteer is a former director of MSHA and a world-renowned mine safety expert. Inspection records and citations gained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) show that inspectors had significant concerns regarding the dam’s construction. We also spoke to a man who helped build and maintain the dam for eight years.

   Transcript