DANVILLE —
Coal mine opponents appeared Tuesday before Vermilion County Board members, asking them to pass a resolution against an Indiana coal mine locating here.
Sunrise Coal, LLC, of Terre Haute, Ind., has been entering into mineral rights lease agreements with landowners in the southern half of the county since fall of 2009. The proposed mine borders both Black Beauty Coal Co. mines, the Riola portal to the north and the Vermilion Grove portal along its eastern boundary.
Members of the citizens group Stand Up To Coal spoke to board members offering their argument as to why the Sunrise mine should not be allowed in Vermilion County.
“We need to stop pretending in 2011 that coal mining has no adverse effects,” Sidell farmer Charles Goodall told board members.
Fellow group member Kevin Block of Allerton contends the “room and pillar” mining that Sunrise Coal uses will lead to subsidence, which refers to the shifting of the land downward as a result of the underground mining.
Block also voiced concerns about where the water would come from to wash the mined coal, which is high in sulfur.
Around 70 leases have been recorded at the Vermilion County Courthouse Annex, with the majority being memorandum agreements between the coal company and the landowner, with contracts ranging from four to nearly 3,000 acres each.
The county did not call the resolution for a vote during Tuesday’s meeting.
Sunrise Communications Director Suzanne Jaworoski also attended the meeting and spoke to board members. She said the company has to put up bonds with that state that would cover improving the land if subsidence occurred.
“We do respect the land,” she said.
She also indicated the mine — expected to be a 30-year mine — would mean jobs for the county. Goodall contended the jobs are more transient and would not be filled locally.
In speaking to the board, Goodall acknowledged the county has no zoning laws and that any resolution passed could not be enforced. That said, he indicated maybe the issue of zoning laws need to be brought into the picture.
“Over my dead body,” District 3 board member Rick Knight called out from his seat.
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County residents speak against mine
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