October 9, 2007
ODNR TO HOLD MEETING IN NEW PHILADELPHIA
TO DISCUSS ABANDONED MINE PROJECTS IN NORTHEASTERN OHIO
COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, October 16 to discuss proposed abandoned mine projects being considered in four northeastern Ohio counties. The meeting is set for 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Business Office Conference Room A in Founders Hall of the Kent State University-Tuscarawas Branch, 330 University Drive, New Philadelphia.
Staffers from ODNR’s Division of Mineral Resources Management will be on hand to discuss the environmental and public health and safety issues associated with Ohio mines that were abandoned prior to August 3, 1977, when legislation addressing the problem went into effect.
They will discuss the policies and procedures of Ohio’s Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Program and present a list of proposed projects for Harrison, Jefferson, Stark and Tuscarawas counties.
Meeting attendees are encouraged to present details of their own abandoned mine problems in these counties, as well as Carroll, Columbiana, Coshocton, Holmes, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Summit, Trumbull and Wayne counties, and to check on eligibility for funding.
In November, ODNR will apply for federal construction grant money from the U.S. Department of the Interior to fund abandoned mine clean ups during the next year throughout the northeastern and southeastern Ohio coalmining regions. Part of that money is earmarked for eight non-emergency projects in northeastern Ohio. ODNR proposes to spend about $353,000 on these projects.
Also included in the grant is $366,200 to improve streams impacted by acid mine drainage and $1.8 million to address emergency abandoned mine land problems in the coal region. Non-emergency projects proposed for the northeastern Ohio mining district will accomplish the following:
- Backfill a dangerous impoundment
- Backfill approximately 1,600 lineal feet of dangerous highwalls
- Demolish a deteriorated abandoned mine-related structure
- Install mine drains to direct acid mine drainage away from residences
- Seal a subsidence and reestablish a stream channel
- Conduct drilling and grouting to stabilize a mine entry subsidence
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For Additional Information, Contact:
Jane Beathard, ODNR Media Relations (614) 265-6860
Brad Burwell, ODNR Mineral Resources (330) 339-2207