TELL THE DEP YOUR CONCERNS

Stop the proposed strip mining along the Yough River Trail!
If you don’t want to see another strip mine along this pristine route, or don’t want the Yough River to even more runoff from yet another mine, do something!
Please send comments to the above address.
There are some great talking points in the comments of this blog care of the Mountain Watershed Association.

Also, to join the discussion on this, click here

Click here to find out more about strip mining

DEP SPOKESPERSON CONTACT:
Helen Humphreys
Phone: (412) 442-4183

CITIZEN GROUPS WORKING ON SW PA COAL ISSUES:
Center for Coalfield Justice
Mountain Watershed Association

COMPANY PROPOSING THE STRIP MINE:
Amerikohl Mining Inc

Youghiogheny River, pristine streams run near proposed strip mine

Sunday, April 13, 2008
By Don Hopey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Bicyclers and hikers on the Allegheny Highland trail soon could have a new attraction as they follow the Youghiogheny River: a large strip-mining operation next to Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County.

Amerikohl Mining Inc. wants to mine for coal a quarter mile from the popular trail that is a part of the Great Allegheny Passage route from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md., and is one of just eight federally designated National Scenic Trails. The company’s proposal has caused widespread concern among trail, fishing and conservation groups.

“Having this kind of potential degradation of the water and viewshed is a significant concern and very disturbing,” said Linda McKenna Boxx, president of the Allegheny Trail Alliance, the coalition of seven rail-trail groups that built and maintains the 335-mile trail.

“People riding downriver from Ohiopyle find that section of the trail very serene and beautiful,” said Dexston Reed, an executive board member and past president of the trail alliance. “If the mining gets that close to the trail and the river, it’s going to be a problem.”
Read the rest of this article

Read another article from the Herald-Standard