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Post by Woody Williams on Oct 1, 2006 19:29:48 GMT -5
Daniels, DNR 'exploring' coal mining in wildlife area
STEVE FORD, Staff writer
Sunday, October 1, 2006
There's no question that coal mining in southwest Indiana has provided some indirect benefit to sportsmen.
Former strip mines have provided lakes for fishing and a variety of rugged hunting territory, depending on the mine regulations in place when the land was stripped.
But there's no place for strip mining - and no real need - in Glendale State Fish & Wildlife Area, the only wild jewel in Daviess County and one of the area's best.
Now, though, all Indiana sportsmen need to convince Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels and his appointees in the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to keep their mitts off Glendale.
The state has already done some "exploratory drilling" on the north side of the property and the public is outraged.
"I saw the coal-drilling rigs on Glendale and that really ticked me off," said Mark Dillon, who owns a business, The Musket Shop, close to Glendale. "I didn't want to see it happen so I started a petition drive around here."
Richard Tennis, 72, and his son, R.T., saw the rigs, too. So they did what good citizens are supposed to do when they witness an outrage on public land. They called their state representative, Dave Crooks.
"They forced people off that land for wildlife so it should be left just the way it is," said the elder Tennis. "It should be set aside for wildlife, period."
Crooks - who represents Daviess, Martin, Pike and Dubois counties - decided to do some digging. What he turned over alarmed him.
An e-mail response from Burgess Brown, the Legislative Director of the DNR, said it was all true.
He used the word exploratory twice, said they had a "long way to go," that the state would not lose control of the land and might get some new money or new land in exchange for Glendale's coal.
Brown wrapped it up by saying: "We believe it is responsible management on our part to know what we have on this property, and be able to make an educated decision about its future."
Said Crooks: "My antenna really went up at that point. There are some things we should never sell and this is one of them. I don't want to see some huge coal shovel working 24/7 on Glendale.
"I'm hearing about this constantly and it hasn't even been in the local paper, the Washington Times Herald, yet (which changed Saturday). I don't think Daylight Savings Times will dominate conversations now."
Dillon said "every second person" in the county was talking about it. He said he had gotten 1,700 signatures within a 10-mile radius of his store, which accounted for just about every resident.
"Everybody believes in this," he said. "It's a natural area and needs to stay that way. Indiana has plenty of places to mine coal."
Crooks said he was considering drafting a bill that would require legislative approval for any business wishing to mine in a state park, fish & wildlife area or recreation area in Indiana.
"Glendale is one of the few treasures we have in Daviess County," said Crooks. "I'm not willing to trade any part of it for some acreage in Sullivan County or a few dollars."
They're right. Indiana has 6,500 square miles of potential coal reserves. It makes Glendale an un-needed drop in the coal bucket. Leave it alone.
- Contact Steve Ford at 464-7511 or fords@courierpress.com
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Post by kevin1 on Oct 2, 2006 4:57:40 GMT -5
With the ever increasing efficiency of modern coal mining there is no longer a need for strip mining , and certainly not on public land . If they kept it down to a subsurface method like long walling I could see it , but not surface mining unless there was a generous land donation somewhere else to compensate .
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Post by DEERTRACKS on Oct 2, 2006 6:11:40 GMT -5
Interesting post Woody.
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Post by jackc99 on Oct 2, 2006 12:44:25 GMT -5
There is talk of a very generous land donation and cash reward. This has been in the works since Daniels took over or shortly thereafter. Without knowing all the particulars we might want to with hold any quick judgements on this.
Jack
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Post by Woody Williams on Oct 2, 2006 16:03:09 GMT -5
Jack,
I am reserving comment until I see particulars.
Any idea what coal company they are talking to or location of teh ground to swap?
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Post by gundude on Oct 2, 2006 18:14:28 GMT -5
There is talk of a very generous land donation and cash reward. This has been in the works since Daniels took over or shortly thereafter. Without knowing all the particulars we might want to with hold any quick judgements on this. Jack Oh why hold back at this point Jack? All the rest of the self proclaimed experts in the outdoor community have already found this new piece of meat to sink their teeth into! I'm sure that Mitch and Kyle see this as a golden opportunity to line their own personal pockets!..Why wait for facts at this point? I swear as sportsmen, we can often be our own worst enemy at times.
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Post by jackc99 on Oct 2, 2006 19:25:12 GMT -5
Now I'm not sure of the EXACT details. The idea was to mine the area in question, restore it, pay the state big bucks (which could possibly be used to purchase more public ground in the state), and (this was the important part) the coal company would cede some existign ground to the state. As I recall (don't hold me to this), it was like 20,000 acres. I will see if I can get more details.
Jack
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Post by bsutravis on Oct 2, 2006 19:31:55 GMT -5
Quid Pro Quo..... 20K acres is a lot of land if that's the deal......or no deal.
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Post by Woody Williams on Oct 2, 2006 21:13:21 GMT -5
Mining at Glendale?
Company finished exploratory drilling this weekBy Nate Smith, Staff Writer Exploratory drilling for coal finished this week at Glendale Fish and Wildlife Area. The drilling, conducted by Black Beauty Coal, was on the north side of the nature reserve. Drilling was finished by Thursday, and the results of the study are not expected for 90 days. In a permit dated Aug. 25, the state’s Department of Natural Resources, which oversees the reserve, gave Black Beauty permission to drill 20 to 35 holes at a depth of 130 to 180 feet. “We were approached by a coal company that thought would be a reserve there,” said DNR Director Kyle Hupfer, who gave permission for Black Beauty to drill on state lands. “When the results come back, we will start looking into the feasibility of mining.” Black Beauty Executive Vice President E. Wayne Park said Thursday the coal company has a license to drill but not to mine. “It will be a long process,” Park said. “Obviously, when you’re in state land, there is a lot of steps we have to go through before mining. Rest assured, we are fully aware of the sensitivity of the area.” The geology of the area radically changes, Park continued. Therefore, the company would not know how much coal is there and if it is usable. Both Hupfer and Park said if Black Beauty would mine Glendale, there would be public meetings so residents would have a chance to give input about future mining. Bruce Stevens, director of the DNR’s Division of Reclamation, said if mining were to happen in Glendale, the land would go through a bidding process for companies wanting to mine. “Apparently, the reason Black Beauty is interested is because it is near one of their current operations,” Stevens said. “Exploration for reserves adjacent to current operations is a common practice for coal companies.” Several people who live next to Glendale have reservations about a coal company that might mine there. Terri Abel lives near the park. “I just think it irritates me that the state can (give permission to) mine and take away Glendale Fish and Wildlife Area,” Abel said. “People are working on a petition and stand against it.” Mark Dillion, owner of The Musket Shop near the grounds, has started a petition and wants to have 50,000 signatures to stop the mining. “What I’m hoping not to see is the mining of Glendale,” Dillon said. “Half the businesses in Daviess County count on Glendale for support. Daviess County is going to lose bids on this if they come in to mine. The businesses will lose.” On Thursday, Dillon said he found through unnamed sources that Black Beauty and the state have arranged a land trade for the Glendale area. For the acres in the northern part of Glendale, 10,000 acres of reclaimed mining land would be given to the state, and the closest site to the county would be near Linton. None of the sources contacted from Black Beauty or the state confirmed there was a land trade, but an e-mail message from Burgess Brown, DNR legislative director, said the following: “If we were to mine, the state would not lose control of the land. It would be restored back to its original condition, and it would mean new money and possibly new land for hunting and fishing in this state (i.e. money or land in exchange for the coal). “We believe it is responsible management on our part to know what we have on this property and be able to make an educated decision about its future.” “What impact to Daviess County will it have? If Glendale is gone, where will all the wildlife go?” Dillon asked. “We benefit from tourism, your restaurants, everything. If we allow a (mining) toe-hold on Glendale, will they continue with the whole area? I don’t know if we’re too late to stop something like this.” Glendale falls into the district of State Rep. Dave Crooks, D-Washington. He said Friday that he is very much against the prospects of mining in Glendale. “I’m absolutely against it. There are some things that shouldn’t be for sale,” Crooks said. “This is an area that attracts tourists to Daviess County from all over. It won’t be as appealing to outdoor enthusiasts if there is a large coal shovel going 24 hours a day.” Crooks, who learned about the drilling through constituents, said he is drafting legislation to be introduced next year that would limit the permission DNR can give. “I’ve had numerous calls on this. I think it is important. I’m drafting legislation that says if the DNR makes a proposal to mine at Glendale or any state recreation area, it must get legislative approval,” Crooks said. “I don’t think the administration should make a decision without legislative review.” Glendale Fish and Wildlife Area, now over 8,060 acres, was created in 1956 from area around Dogwood Lake purchased from local landowners. The funds used to buy the land came from the federal Pittman-Robinson and Dingell-Johnson Acts. Final authority to mine would have to come from the federal Fish and Wildlife Service. Black Beauty is a subsidiary of Peabody Energy, the nation’s largest coal provider. www.washtimesherald.com/local/local_story_273150025.html
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Post by jackc99 on Oct 2, 2006 22:05:49 GMT -5
Let me make a comment here and then I'm going to keep quiet about this issue:
If I think this is a bad deal I'm going to say so. Hopefully you all will, too. But I'm going to to try and get as much info as I can before I go out and hang anybody. Let's try and keep a clear head.
Jack
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Post by Woody Williams on Oct 2, 2006 22:09:24 GMT -5
Let me make a comment here and then I'm going to keep quiet about this issue: If I think this is a bad deal I'm going to say so. Hopefully you all will, too. But I'm going to to try and get as much info as I can before I go out and hang anybody. Let's try and keep a clear head. Jack I agree.. .
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Post by swindianapaul on Oct 2, 2006 23:28:55 GMT -5
Having hunted & fished the area quite a bit over the past 20 years, I will hold out on saying yes or not until the particulars as revealed. However, I would offer the following comments: If this is limited to the northeast portion of Glendale, I would not be opposed to it, if, as a part of the agreement, DNR obtained several thousand acres of the property which was mined and reclaimed contiguous to the east of the property. Mining of this section pretty well ceased about 1997, with reclamation going on up until about 3 years ago. When it was an active mine, Glendale had some of the best dove hunting in Indiana. The reclaimed fields and small lakes are in good shape and will provide excellent hunting opportunities in now and into the future (one only need to look at how many clamor to gain access to reclaimed ground in surrounding counties).
As for going underground to get this coal out, as it is currently virgin ground it is likely impractical. 8 seams of coal in this part of Indiana with seams 8 down to 5 (smaller the number of the seam, the deeper it is) subject to surface mining. While technology would allow them to go underground to access these shallow seams....we would all pay for it every time we threw a light switch. Underground mining is the highest cost extraction method and usually reserved for mines which will be in service for 10-20 years. Additionally, many of the coal seams are narrow and angled such that while it is technologically feasible to underground mine, it is not economically feasible to do so.
As for what company it might be, it is hard to say. If this is the area I am thinking of, it would likely be one of the smaller operations such as Triad or James River Coal Company. If it were a much larger tract, others such as B & B, Solar (very unlikely) or Black Beauty (Peabody) might come into play.
I believe Dave Crooks is for Dave Crooks: Keep in mind that Dave is an elected 'pot stirrer' that currently would like nothing better than to cause problems for the current administration. If it were a Republican in office other than Daniels, he would be doing the same thing. This is the same guy that drafted the bill to 'outlaw hunting within a mile of any school in Indiana' two years ago and as of 2 weeks before the primary a few months ago was still researching the idea. He is only interested in the recreational aspects of Glendale because it is convenient to for him at the moment and the election is less than 45 days away.
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Post by Woody Williams on Oct 3, 2006 8:15:02 GMT -5
Great post Paul.
Thanks..
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Post by raporter on Oct 3, 2006 8:49:33 GMT -5
Thanks for the post Paul. As one who loves to fish the strip pits I am all for a program which would bring lots of money and additional land to the state. Now where I differ is I LOVE THE OLD STRIP PITS and the rugged land which is left. That said the reclaimed land is wonderful upland bird hunting land. We just need more info before they do anything.
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Post by Decatur on Oct 3, 2006 9:27:53 GMT -5
I just wish they could get some more public ground up my way! There is so much public land down south, a lot of it hardly gets used, Splinter Ridge for example. Not many people hunt there for deer or turkey.
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Post by jackc99 on Oct 3, 2006 9:54:48 GMT -5
OK, several people asked me to look into this and here is the comment I got back from the Director of Fish & Wildlife:
Hey Jack. Black Beauty is the company, and I honestly hope that everyone involved can just take a big deep breath and chill. The only thing that we have allowed is to punch a few dozen 6 inch holes in the ground to get some core samples. In order to make good decisions, we just have to find out exactly what type of coal assets we really have at Glendale. The analysis isn't done, so we still don't know. The land was purchased with PR and DJ funds, so we have kept the feds up to speed on our actions. The potenail benefits of moving ahead on this project would be to purchase additional public land for hunting and fishing. We are a long, long way away from making any sort of decision. Due to the scope of the project, a full blown EIS would be required and the public would have lots of opportunities to weigh in. Like, I said, we're a LONG way away from any action. The approval process, IF WE MOVED AHEAD, would take years. I hope this helps.
Now we need to watch this closely and make sure Black Beauty and IDNR do what they say they will do. It could be a huge windfall for more hunting ground or it could be an ecological disaster. It sounds like swindianapaul is in the area na d knows his mining. Hopefully we can rely on him to keep us all in the loop. In the meantime I'll be watching on the IDNR end.
Jack
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Post by Woody Williams on Oct 3, 2006 15:01:20 GMT -5
DNR NEWS
For immediate release: October 3, 2006
DNR to hold meeting about Glendale plans Oct. 11
Public input to be sought at each step of process
Officials of the Indiana DNR will be in Montgomery, Ind. at 6:30 p.m. (local time) Wednesday, Oct. 11, at the Montgomery Community Building in Ruritan Park to discuss the issues and answer questions regarding the possibility for coal mining on the northern end of the Glendale Fish and Wildlife Area.
"The Glendale Fish and Wildlife Area is an important asset for the DNR and people of Indiana," said DNR Director Kyle Hupfer. "Dogwood Lake is a very important part of life in southwestern Indiana and we will not entertain any proposal that would disrupt the use of the lake. However, we owe it to the citizens of Indiana to determine what value, if any, the resources below the surface of a small part of Glendale may have."
In late August, the DNR granted Black Beauty Coal Company permission to conduct low impact exploratory drilling in the northernmost two square miles of Glendale F&WA. The public property is adjacent to private land that is already being mined by Black Beauty. Black Beauty completed its drilling by the end of September and the DNR is awaiting the results. Those results will be made public as part of the process.
Glendale was acquired using federal funding dedicated to fish and wildlife habitat restoration and preservation. As a result, the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service would have to approve any mining activity. Any proceeds from mining would be required to go toward the purchase of additional fish and wildlife habitat. None of the funds would go to the state's general fund or toward DNR operations. Any mined land would be restored to DNR specifications. Additionally, any sale of the coal mining rights would have to go through an open bidding process.
"The DNR and the administration will be neutral in this process. Hunters and anglers of Indiana consistently point to a lack of public land as their biggest area of concern. It is those hunters and anglers who will need to make a decision as to whether the additional land to be acquired by the state for public hunting and fishing access is worth the disruption while mining takes place," Hupfer said. "All that the DNR will do is provide a mechanism for a deal to be analyzed and a decision to be made."
The DNR has also established a special e-mail address to receive comments about the Glendale Fish & Wildlife Area process. Interested parties may e-mail the DNR at Glendale@dnr.IN.gov.
Montgomery is located on US Hwy 50/150 east of Washington in Daviess County. Turn north on First St. from Hwy 50 in Montgomery and then east onto Park St. for four-tenths of a mile. The community building is on the right.
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Post by Woody Williams on Oct 3, 2006 15:02:10 GMT -5
BTW - this is the same day as the One Buck Rule meeting.. Long day for the IDNR fellers and gals....
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Post by cambygsp on Oct 3, 2006 16:31:35 GMT -5
KEY WORDS:
""Any proceeds from mining would be required to go toward the purchase of additional fish and wildlife habitat. None of the funds would go to the state's general fund or toward DNR operations. Any mined land would be restored to DNR specifications. Additionally, any sale of the coal mining rights would have to go through an open bidding process.""
I don't see the problem......No different than selling timber
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Post by danf on Oct 3, 2006 18:28:15 GMT -5
I don't see the problem......No different than selling timber I agree, but then again, we all know the uproar that selling of timber has caused.
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