A heated debate between citizens of Harlan and Letcher counties and representatives from the Department for Natural Resources took place at the Godbey Appalachian Center on the Cumberland campus of Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College recently.

“I am here to facilitate this permit conference for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR),” said Jennifer Thompson, policy adviser for DNR. “The purpose of a permit conference is to hear comments and concerns from individuals on pending permit applications so that we know what issues to take into account when we are doing our review. We are not making any decisions, and it’s not a vote. We are here to listen to what people have to say. We capture those concerns so we can consider them when we go back to review the permit.”

The permit in question is permit #867-5226, Amendment #3, for an amendment to an existing underground coal mining and reclamation operation. This application was filed by Harlan Reclamation Services, LLC and would underlie an additional 11,212.16 acres making a total area of 16,377.44 acres within the permit boundary. The proposed amendment area is located in Harlan and Letcher counties.

“They are going right under my house,” said Judy McKnight, of Colliers Creek. “I’ve had two failed wells already. They did a survey on my third well recently, and they said the water wasn’t worth anything. I have to bring my drinking water in. I have floors and doors that have been damaged by blasting that no one will fix. My husband, mother and many others up in this creek, from Eolia down, have passed away or been sick. We’re worried about our health drinking this bad water. The mines always win. Why don’t they just buy us out. We can’t live up in here without water.”

Paul Hendrickson, of Partridge, said the residents don’t have any idea how deep the mining will be underneath their homes.

“We want to know if our wells are contaminated,” said Hendrickson. “We drink this water. Wells are all we have up here.”

Merrill Galloway, of Collier’s Creek, said before the mining started in that area no one needed filters on their water.

“I’ve had to add three different filtering systems on my water and the coal, iron and sulfur residue is coming through,” said Galloway. “It’s bad. When my mother runs her bath water there is coal residue in the bathtub. It’s pitiful. There is a lot of damage to my home from blasting. My home was just built in 2002, it’s only seven years old. We have no other water supply except from our wells. We’d like to have city water but we don’t and there is no plan to give it to us. I’m not after anyone’s job because my family and I support coal. We just need some help up here.”

City of Lynch Mayor Ronnie Hampton attended the meeting on behalf of the residents of Lynch and his own concerns.

“We’re trying to protect our water system here in Lynch,” said Hampton. “They are planning to mine in seams that are going to affect our water. We’re looking for a buffer zone. All I’m asking for is 1,000 feet in all directions so our water system will not break and be destroyed. I want to know if the system did break how would they replace it and for how long. Would they bring us water for a week and then after a week, you’d just be on your own. We need some answers.”

Carolyn Lewis, a resident of Partridge, contacted Leslie Combs, a Kentucky representative whose district includes Partridge, regarding her water supply due to underground mining in her area. Combs, in turn, contacted the Department for Environmental Protection (EPA) on Lewis’ behalf. Lewis received a written response from the EPA dated Oct. 26 which said the Division of Water (DOW) contacted Tim Reed of the Letcher County Water and Sewer District (LCWSD) and he advised they had been trying to find a practical water supply source for the Partridge area. Reed said, in the letter, a town in Virginia and the City of Cumberland initially expressed their interests in supplying water to the Partridge area. At some point, Reed said, Cumberland could no longer be considered a possible water source and Virginia officials also backed out. Reed said a search of their drinking water database did not show any plans submitted to their agency for drinking water to be installed in the Partridge area.

“I’m not against coal mining or coal jobs,” said Lewis. “We were all raised on coal, it’s just we have to have water. If the officials will just get us water like they promised. They’ve promised us water up here for the past four years. If our water is destroyed, we have no where to go.”

Stanley Sturgill, Lynch resident, said he had so many questions he had been unable to get answers to he wrote a letter to the permitting office in Frankfort trying to get those answers.

“I would like a two week extension before a decision is made to allow more residents to submit written complaints and concerns,” said Sturgill. “The Cumberland River is the headwater that goes all the way to the Gulf of Mexico, so if you get chemicals here in the water, it goes all the way down. Every water system from here to there is affected and contaminated.”

Letcher County Magistrate Bob Lewis said he’d like to hear from the mining officials since they were not present at this conference.

“Not only is our water affected, foundations to our homes damaged, but what about the negative affect on our property values,” said Tammy Bullock, Letcher County resident. “What if they contaminate our wells and we are not aware of it and we continue to drink the water. What safety measures are going to be put in place. Will our water be tested on a regular basis to see if contamination is occurring. My mother and father are buried in a cemetery that is on the map to be mined under, how is that impacting them. I have a lot of questions that need to be answered.”

Bennie Massey, Lynch City Council member and resident, said U.S. Steel had gotten coal out in that area without damaging their water and if they could do it why couldn’t coal companies do it now.

“What’s more important, coal or water,” said Massey. “We have coal all over Harlan County. We don’t have to disturb this water. We can protect our water and that’s what we are all here for, we need answers before this permit is granted.”

Anne Carr, Lynch City Council member and resident, said the projected mining is under the Lynch Country Club. Carr expressed her concern for the safety of the men that will be mining coal under all these homes and facilities.

“The opinions expressed here at this meeting carry no weight,” said Thompson. “The facts they present to us carry a lot of weight. If they bring something up we don’t know about we will look into it. If DNA decides changes need to be made to the permit or the permit cannot be issued as a result of what they brought up, then their opinion carried a lot of weight. If someone says I don’t want this permit to be issued or I want it issued is of no consequence because we have to take into account the things we consider.”

Thompson said this specific permit application has been declared administratively complete and is now ready for technical review. She said the DNA has 65 working days to review that permit but it can be stretched out if they find something is wrong and they return it for corrections. She said sometimes it can take up to one year to issue a permit. Thompson said it’s not uncommon for a permit to change during the review process.

“We don’t issue all permit applications, some are denied,” said Thompson.

Carr said she was disappointed with the number of people who came out for this permit conference. She requested that an extension be granted to allow more people to voice their concerns.

“Please, everyone that is affected under this permit application, submit written comments and documentation to: Jimmy Luttrell , Director, Division of Mine Permits, 2 Hudson Hollow, Frankfort, Kentucky 4060l,” said Carr. “You need to do this immediately. Contact Representative Rick Nelson, Representative Leslie Combs and Senator Brandon Smith. Call Governor Steve Beshear. This affects your property, homes and your health.”

Thompson granted an extension until the close of business on Dec. 3 to submit any additional written comments to the Director of the Division of Mine Permits.