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Citizens Comments Concerning Coal Waste Impoundments

To Whom It May Concern: I as a resident and business owner of Mingo Co. think if you build these ponds around residents you should buy us out and relocate us. Don't put people in danger. Coal is not worth our health or our lives. Put in mind first, I'm all for mining coal but do it safe and there won't be no problems.  After all as a owner of a pizza place, if I don't do it right the people would put me out of operation. So lets do it right and there wont be no problem. And I wouldn't blame them. Thank you P.S. So do it right. That's the only way!

Troy Columbia 7/7/2003
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Coal waste impoundments are an accident just waiting to happen. I base this opinion from past experiences; Buffalo Creek, Logan County, WVa. And Wolf Creek Martin County, KY. Also I can see no possible way that the people in this valley could be evacuated in case the impoundment fails.

William Hall, Delbarton 7/3/2003
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I am opposed to the slurry pond impoundment. With all the rain I an afraid it will break and we will have a disaster like Buffalo Creek. I live below the pond, in a valley, and if it breaks there will be no place to go fast enough to reach safety, live are endangered here, also the more they blast and mine, the worse our water gets - the dust is awful.

Dottie Maynard 7/1/2003
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We have noticed some cracking in our sidewalk. We would be very concerned if a pond was installed in our area. We don't want to see another disaster from this action. A crack in the sidewalk is very minor compared to the disaster a pond would possibly make. We can live with sidewalk cracks, hopefully that's all that will occur.

Gary and Brenda Hunt 7/1/2003
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I am against blasting and the mining underground. If they were to mine we would be forced to move yet again from the area. Slurry ponds are not a necessity around such a rural area. They will cause grief and worry for residents all around Hull Creek as well as Hull Creek Hollow. Also Mountaintop Removal causes sludge to fun into streams, creating even more unsafe water for all life, not just humans. We must take care of what we've got, because if we don't do something, some heartless bastard will!

Bobby Sturgill 7/3/2003
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Structural damage, cracks all in garage floor, crack in blocks and cracks (hair line) all over driveway, one large one, caused by blasting in early morning hours. Value of the property dropped when sludge pond was approved state. We were declared as living in high risk zone. Noise from mine equipment day and night and coal dust damage. Several occupants would prefer to relocate, and would like to be bought out for a fair market price and relocation expenses. New garage, cement and home improvements app. 5 yrs. Old.

Fred Smith, Delbarton 7/2/2003
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I worry about the safety of my children and grandchildren. I don't think these impoundments can be made safe. The underground mining in the area could affect this impoundment. The mineral rights I own can never be recovered because of the presence of this coal waste impoundment. I has devalued my property. The added truck traffic and trains have made our lives miserable. Our well water quality has been affected as well.

James F. Maynard 7/4/2003
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Living near a coal waste impoundment, not only depreciate the value of the property for the home owner, or puts ground water supply into question, or anxiety during heavy rain periods, thinking this may break, but it devaluates life itself. To anyone not living in the coal fields… we are giving up our environment so you may light yours. Please think of us hillbillies, when flipping your light switch.

Walter Young, Delbarton 7/1/2003
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Having a coal waste impoundment within a quarter mile upstream is a very anxious situation, not to mention the dust and coal truck traffic every day which is a very unhealthy environment to any one. Just wonder what it is doing to our underground water supply, just to put in words, its like living in exile, it has destroyed our way of life.

Carol Young, Delbarton 7/1/2003
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First you wonder what the coal companies are releasing into the water. If it will make you sick or cause death before your time. If it don't kill you, the next thing you worry about is if this thing burst will you be alive or if everything you work for will be destroyed. You live in a "panic" from one minute to the next and if it rains from 2 or 3 days you get very anxious. I don't think this is any way to live! Next you wonder what these coal company are hiding.

Leroy Runyon, Delbarton 7/02/2003
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Fear, anxious, panicky, afraid - these are a few words I use to say how I feel about coal waste impoundments. When the TV or radio give a flash flood warning you wonder if you are going to be alive the next minute or not. If it is going to be another Buffalo Creek or Martin County. You wonder what the coal company are releasing from the coal impoundment in the water tables that you are drinking and why are they so secret about these coal impoundment.;

Geneva Runyon 7/2/2003
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My family and I feel threatened by the presence of the impoundment that is constructed at Delbarton Mining Company. When it rains heavy, we worry what could happen if it broke. We are also concerned about how the underground mines will affect the stability of the impoundment. Also, there is more dust in the area, which is hurting people and causing breathing problems.

Larry and Alisa Maynard, Delbarton 7/2/2003
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Blasting shakes my foundation. Coal dust is all over everything. 18 wheelers running overloaded way too fast. Our well water is mined. The slurry pond is too dangerous for all of us that live here in this area. So many of the ponds break for different reasons. Don't want to be one of the ones to get washed away.

Betty Wilson 6/30/2003
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The fact that no one let me or my family know about the sludge pond at the mine site really upsets me. It's a scary thing to think that it could break and wash us away like other sludge ponds has done in other places and to see this in newspapers and on TV. I would really hate for this to happen in my neighborhood. I have two children I try hard to protect. I can't protect them from this!

Dorothy F. 7/7/2003
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