Efforts underway to treat acid mine drainage in Decker’s Creek
MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va (WDTV) - Congressman David McKinley joined Deputy Secretary of Interior Kate MacGregor and Environmental Department leadership in a tour of where an abandoned mine land treatment site will be created.
“Anyone that goes outside and sees orange water running past them - you know that is not healthy, that is not good. You are going to breathe that air, so we need to clean up - we are getting to that point now,” said McKinley
“You know, I think West Virginia is a strong tourism state. It is still a strong coal state though. So, you know, we want to support through reclaiming these areas for, of course, recreation and everything that comes with it,” MacGregor said.
Last year, West Virginia received over $22 million to repair abandoned mines.
“What I really want to hit on with that is how big of a deal getting that Richard Mine remediated is,” said Friends of Decker’s Creek Executive Director Brian Hurley.
Hurley has studied the effects of acid mine drainage for years.
“That is the single largest factor that degrades Decker’s Creek,” he said
The organization estimates 800 pounds of metal is pumped into the water a day by Richard Mine.
A 1970 Federal lawsuit prevents mines from closing without environmental protections in place, but mines closed before that time often cause damage into nearby rivers and streams.
Iron from the mines coats rocks and the ground, preventing vegetation from growing.
Leaders predict infrastructure to fight the acid mine drainage into the creek could be completed as early as 2021.
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