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By WENDELL COCHRAN News Editor The Pennsylvania En vironmental Strike Force today will seek an injunction against further construction of a new air shaft at Blacksville No. 2 coal mine. Patrick McGinley, a special assistant to the Pennsylvania attorney general, said the suit would be filed in Commonwealth Court in Harrisburg. The suit, against Consolidation Coal Co., seeks to prevent further construction of the Stagger shaft until water pollution permits have been issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Re sources. McGinley said the state will argue that Consol began construction of the new shaft without the proper permits and that the construction caused a discharge without a permit into Dunkard Creek. The discharge allegedly passed down an unnamed tributary to the fishing stream, and caused some discoloration in the mainstream. When the Department of Environmental Resources notified the company of the situation, McGinley said Consol agreed to remedy the problem by constructing several settling ponds. However, he said, the state also requires that permits be obtained for settling penas, and Consol failed to obtain the permits, another reason for the suit, Pennsylvania law provides for civil penalties (fines) in such cases, McGinley said. At this time, the state is not seeking such penalties, he added, Consol officials said yesterday afternoon that the Stagger shaft is being planned for use as an air shaft. It is being built by the Williams Contracting Co., which handles a great deal of mine construction work in this area. Construction was begun in late 1972, with first operation of the shaft scheduled “at least 18 months from now. Consol will have 20 days to answer the complaint that will be filed today, McGinley said. He pointed out that answers in such cases generally are filed more quickly. McGinley anticipated a hearing in ‘‘a week or two. A Consol spokesman said last night that the firm had not yet received a copy of the proposed complaint and that attorneys for the company as well as the Pennsylvania state agency were trying to reach an agreement relative to the complaint. It was pointed out that a permit had been sought, but not yet granted.
Newspaper Details
Morgantown Dominion News
Morgantown, West Virginia, US
Thu, Jan 18, 1973
Page 17
Full Page
Clipped by
Patrick M.
USA 04 Jul 2026
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