FELLOWSVILLE, W.Va. — The environmental arm of state government reached out to Preston County where residents near an underground mine fire have thrown up their hands asking for help.
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Cabinet Secretary Austin Caperton was on site Tuesday to tour reclamation work at the Brocum Run mine.
Residents have complained to state regulators of the smoke and odor coming from the burn.
The mine was developed prior to the Surface Mining Reclamation Control Act.
Caperton and Rob Rice, the chief of the WVDEP’s Abandoned Mine Lands and Reclamation Division, both attended the noon visit and discussed funding for such projects.
“We’re at the mercy of the federal government in terms of getting funds for this type of activity. With the current state of our state budget, where we’re facing a $500 million deficit, it’s unlikely we’re going to be able to grab state funds to speed up or do more work,” Caperton said.
Brocum mine reclamation work is costing about $4.8 million.
Caperton said the fund for reclamation work receives about $6.5 million from state revenue. He estimated that is down by half from years past.
Any additional funding comes from money generated by mining coal throughout the United States. For every ton of coal mined, states receive cents per ton in return, Caperton explained.
“If we continue to lose our general revenue fund that finances some of our inspectors that do other work, then it will potentially divert away from this program. So, we’re really desperate to see the governor’s budget and the balancing of the budget for the state of West Virginia,” added the DEP secretary.
The Brocum Run Mine, located between Fellowsville and Newburg, has been burning for at least two years.