The Indian Creek watershed is approximately 125 square miles and contains over 130 known discharges from abandoned coal mines. These discharges have resulted in contamination of surface water, wells, and springs for decades. Because Indian Creek flows into the Youghiogheny River, abandoned mine drainage in our smaller area has impacted and diminished water quality throughout the Greater Youghiogheny River Watershed.
Over the past 20 years, Mountain Watershed has raised almost $9 million dollars to create mine drainage treatment systems that remove harmful pollutants and have helped to restore the water and hence, quality of life, in our region. Given the success of our existing restoration activities and the tendency for mining in this watershed to produce discharges, any current and proposed coal mining activity is a huge risk for our area.
Rustic Ridge
LCT Energy LP’s Rustic Ridge Deep Mine is currently active and has permits to mine a 2,886-acre area in Donegal Township, Westmoreland County, and Saltlick Township, Fayette County. The operation is a room and pillar deep mine in the region known as the Indian Creek Coalfield, which lies within the Indian Creek Watershed- a subwatershed to the Youghiogheny River. The type of coal that is found in the area is metallurgical coal, which is commonly used in steel production or mixed with lower quality coal for power generation.
In the past, when Rustic Ridge’s same coal seam was mined, it resulted in large amounts of devastating water pollution in the form of “mine discharges.” Mine discharges result when groundwater flows into an empty minevoid, picking up contaminants from the exposed coal seam. The water can then discharge from the mine into surface waters, contaminating the larger watershed. Some residents even have abandoned mine discharges flowing through their basements. In the Indian Creek Watershed, discharges are often acidic and can contain high concentrations of pollutants such as aluminum, iron, and manganese, which can impact aquatic life and public health.
The Indian Creek watershed is approximately 125 square miles and contains 130 known discharges from abandoned coal mines. These discharges have resulted in contamination of surface water, wells, and springs for decades.
Over the past 20 years, Mountain Watershed has raised almost $9 million dollars to create and maintain mine drainage treatment systems that restore the water in our area. Given the success of our existing restoration – and the tendency in this area for mining to produce pollution discharges – Rustic Ridge poses a significant risk to our area.
Since mining commenced in 2018, MWA has been diligently watchdogging the operation and we have already seen significant impacts from the mine. Some examples of these impacts include:
- Structural subsidence damage to private residences, some of which may be irreparable
- Complaints of loss of water quantity and/or quality at private residences who depend on wells and springs for drinking water
- Fugitive coal dust pollution and coal spilled on roadways
- Increased traffic from coal trucks, leading to a higher risk for dangerous accidents and damage to roadways
On January 13, 2017, MWA filed an appeal of the issuance of the permit for the Rustic Ridge #1 mine with the Environmental Hearing Board.
On January 25, 2018 we entered into a settlement agreement with LCT. MWA was able to secure commitments from LCT to amend what we felt were some of the most egregious threats with its permits as well as include an unprecedented array of other measures aimed to prevent and mitigate harms. Some of these measures help to protect quality of life for residents and would not have been available if we had continued through the appeal process.
First, and perhaps most importantly, the barrier between the abandoned Melcroft Mine #3 and Rustic Ridge was increased from 800 feet to 1,400 feet. Our technical consultants advised that this significantly decreases the likelihood of contaminated water from the Melcroft Mine discharging into the active mine. If such a discharge happened, it could mean not only a potential threat to the lives of mine workers but an inundation of heavily polluted mine water that could devastate the watershed.
One of the other agreements was to limit flow of water being pumped from the mine into Champion Creek. The reduced flow helps to ensure that Champion Creek is not overwhelmed and is able to continue to support aquatic life.
LCT further committed to various standards and protections that are so expansive that, as far as we know, there is no other agreement like it in the state of Pennsylvania. The company agreed to:
- reduce blasting noise and provide notification of blasting to neighboring residents. This helped to improve quality of life and protect residents by limiting the likelihood of property damage that is associate with larger blasting limits;
- relocate their ventilation fan to reduce noise impacts;
- utilize canopy and dark-sky approved lighting to reduce light spillage;
- plant additional trees in neighboring properties to help mitigate sound and possibly even pollution impacts;
- re-survey wells and local springs in order to help ensure landowners’ water is more accurately surveyed and hence, better protected
The stipulations that were secured go well beyond what could have been achieved if we continued through the legal appeal process. After finalizing the settlement, we continue to work with LCT and impacted community members to gain even more commitments that help protect residents’ and their quality of life.
Proposed Expansion
Despite significant public outcry for impacts to environmental and community health, LCT Energy has submitted a permit application to expand their operation by 1,400 acres, with future plans to expand by an additional 3,000 acres towards Bullskin, Mount Pleasant and Cook Townships. The footprint of the proposed mine expands into the Loyalhanna Watershed and would threaten the headwaters of that watershed, specifically Fourmile Run.
Find details about the mine expansion on the PA Dept of Environmental Protection’s website.
We predict that the proposed expansion could significantly dewater the headwaters of the Loyalhanna Watershed by removing water from Loyalhanna and redirecting it to the Indian Creek Watershed. Considering the size of the proposed expansion, MWA believes this would result in the headwaters of the Loyalhanna – specifically Four Mile Run – eventually going dry while Champion Creek of the Indian Creek Watershed would become chronically flooded. Given the anticipated life of the mine, it is possible that the Four Mile Run headwaters will be reduced to a trickle and Donegal Lake will have dried up long before mining is complete. As if that is not enough reason for concern, we believe that it is likely that mining in this area will result in acid mine discharges along the banks and within the streams of the Four Mile Run headwaters, impacting the larger Loyalhanna Watershed.
View the most recent projected mine maps.
Mountain Watershed employs many strategies in the hopes of mitigating and preventing these impacts. One of those strategies is to educate the public on their legal rights, as well as preparing for the possibility of a direct legal challenge to LCT Energy’s proposed expansion. We plan to work with a private law firm that is one of the only in the state that regularly – and successfully – litigates against the mining and fracking industries. While we are confident in their ability to bring forward the best possible case for us, legal challenges are inevitably costly. We have set a goal of raising $500,000 to support our legal challenge of the Rustic Ridge Deep Mine expansion in order to protect the health of our watershed and all who depend on it.
You can donate to our legal fund here.
Take Action Today
Through grassroots organizing, MWA has regularly met with concerned community members and municipalities addressing the growing issues around Rustic Ridge. Considering these concerns and the broader possibility of impacts throughout the Laurel Highlands, we are progressing with a legal appeal to prevent irreparable damage to the area’s groundwater supply, clean air, and quality of life in the greater Youghiogheny, and Loyalhanna Watersheds. Join us in the fight to Defend the Yough.
Report Concerns and Complaints:
Report online or via phone at 866-255-5158
Report issues to LCT Energy
Pete Mack, 814-254-4065
Jason McGinnis, 724-787-5572
Join our Community Meetings:
- Meetings are typically held on the last Thursday of the month online via zoom or in person at a local community space. Contact stacey@mtwatershed.com for details.
Related Blog Posts
- Expanding Coal Mines Threaten the Heart of the Laurel Highlands October 6, 2022
- Subsidence is Damaging Properties in Footprint of Rustic Ridge Deep Mine January 30, 2021
- Water and Structural Damage Issues arise near Rustic Ridge Deep Mine in Donegal November 12, 2020
- Recap of Recent Rustic Ridge Community Meeting March 6, 2018
- Important Rustic Ridge Deep Mine Update January 26, 2018