On April 25, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it will host a public meeting and hearing to answer questions and take testimony from residents regarding revisions to two active mining permits and the transfer of a third permit for work located in three Schuylkill County townships. 

The meeting/hearing will take place on Wednesday, May 17th from 6-7:30 PM and the hearing will take place from 7:40-9:30 PM.

Both will be held at the Tremont Borough Municipal Building located at 139 Clay Street Tremont, 17981.

Representatives of the department and Rausch Creek will be in attendance.

Rausch Creek Land, L.P proposes to revise the final reclamation grades of the site, located near Interstate 81 and Route 125 in Hegins and Porter Townships and change the post mining land use to include agriculture. 

Rausch Creek Generation, LLC proposes to revise the mining permit, located at another site in Frailey and Porter Townships to add strip mining activities with blasting, reconfigure the existing surface mining permit boundary, addition of a haul road, and a road variance to State Route 4011. 

That site is located near Interstate 81 and State Route 209. 

Rausch Creek Coal Mining Good Spring, LLC proposes to transfer the permit located in Hegins and Porter Townships, add strip mining activities with blasting, obtain a new National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater permit and change the post mining land use to unmanaged natural habitat. 

The site is located near State Road 125 and West Center Street. 

The applications will also revise the maps, update the erosion and sedimentation control plan, and update the bond to the current rates.

According to DEP’s currently adopted EJ Policy, this project area is considered an EJ area and will have enhanced public participation processes appropriate to the project scale.

The permit applications are available for public review at the Pottsville District Mining Office located at 5 West Laurel Boulevard, Pottsville, PA, 17901, during regular business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

DEP requests that individuals wishing to testify at the upcoming public hearing submit a written notice of intent to Colleen Connolly, Community Relations Coordinator at: coconnolly@pa.gov.  

Requests to testify will be accepted up to the day of the hearing.

Individuals that wish to testify are also requested to limit their testimony to 5 minutes so that all individuals have the opportunity to testify and that the testimony is limited to the mining and NPDES permit application that is the subject of the hearing.

Written copies of oral testimony are requested. All comments, whether delivered orally during the hearing or submitted in writing will carry equal weight and consideration with DEP. 

Individuals attending the hearing will have the opportunity to testify if they so desire; however, individuals who preregister to testify will be given priority on the agenda.

Persons with a disability who wish to testify and require an auxiliary aid, service or other accommodation should contact Colleen Connolly at: coconnolly@pa.gov or the Pennsylvania Hamilton Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 (TDD) to discuss how the Department can meet their needs.

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website, Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter, sign up for DEP Connects events, sign up for DEP’s eNotice, visit DEP’s Blog,  Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

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[Posted: April 25, 2023]

5/1/2023