14 News, The Tri-State's News and Weather Leader-Ohio County mine waiting for permit

Ohio County mine waiting for permit

By Stuart Peck - bio | email | Twitter

OHIO COUNTY, KY (WFIE) - There is new information Monday about two mines the Armstrong Coal Company plans to open in the Tri-State.

All systems are go to open an underground mine in Muhlenberg County, but in neighboring Ohio County, plans to open a surface mine have hit a few snags.

Armstrong Coal is still waiting to hear from the Army Corp. of Engineers to see if they'll be able to open another mine in Ohio County.

At least one local official is concerned that negative publicity and alternative fuel sources could be holding up that permit.

"We're still pretty excited about it, it's just it seems like there's a light at the end of the tunnel but we just can't hardly see it," Ohio County Judge Executive David Jones said.

For Jones, waiting is the name of the game, waiting for a permit that would allow a surface mine to open.

"Once these permits are approved, Armstrong is ready to start mining coal in another area south of Centertown," Jones said.

The Army Corp. of Engineers said permits for two mines in Ohio County are just two or three weeks away from being issued.

The corp said they have had to be thorough with their review because of increased controversy over mountaintop mining.

The coal industry has taken hits from critics who claim there is no such thing as clean coal or clean coal technology.

"All this coal that they're mining here, it's going through a wash plant, it will be washed," Jones said. 

Jones said he's concerned about critics throwing darts at an industry Ohio County relies heavily on.

"It's a scare, it really is, but if we're going to use this resource I think we should use the technology that's out there to keep our air as clean as we can," Jones said.

Armstrong said if the permits are issued for the new mines, it could bring the company's workforce to over 500 in western Kentucky.

Armstrong Coal said they will continue to work with the federal government until they can get that permit approved.    

©2009 WFIE. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.