The Game Commissioners this week approved a deep-mine daylighting and acid mine drainage abatement project and lease requested by the Department of Environmental Protection on a 30.8-acre parcel of State Game Land 268 in Morris Township, Tioga County.

The underground mine, known as the "Rattler," extracted from the Bloss Coal seam from 1903 to 1959. The operation caused severe acid mine discharges that impacted the water quality of biodiversity of Paint Run, Stoney Fork and Babbs Creek.

DEP, working with the Babb Creek Watershed Association, from 2001 to 2003 constructed passive treatment systems for acid mine discharges and reclaimed about 75 acres of abandoned mine spoils. But the treatment systems were overtaxed by the discharge. Paint Run remains impacted.

To resolve the acid mine drainage issues, DEP proposes to daylight up to 15.3 acres of the deep-mine complex in a two-step process, first daylighting 8.2 acres and then evaluating whether the additional 7.1 acres should be remined. In addition, the plan calls for the recovery any coal reserves and application of 2,500 tons of lime or waste lime.

Next, the mine spoils will be replaced and graded to the landscape's original contour, sub-surface drains will be constructed, erosion and sediment controls will be established and wildlife habitat will be restored. The project will require 15.5 acres of support area. DEP will award a contract to carry out the project.

The Game Commission will contribute its royalty - projected to be $42,500 for an estimated 12,000 tons of coal - from the first phase of the project to offset the cost of the lime additive, the subsurface drainage system and surface reclamation. Upon completion of the first phase, the Game Commission and DEP will evaluate whether a second phase - daylighting the additional 7.1 acres of deep-mine complex - is needed.

An estimated 10,224 tons of coal, valued at about $36,800, is recoverable in the project's second phase. These royalties would be deposited in the agency's Game Fund.

The project will be regulated by state's surface coal mining regulations and the Game Commission's standard lease agreement.

SGL 268 currently contains 3,050 acres in Tioga County.

10/5/2007