Appalachian states have little data on safety of injecting coal slurry into abandoned mines

Vicki Smith of The Associated Press reports that none of the five Appalachian states that allow coal slurry to be dumped into abandoned undergound mines can substantiate their claim that the practice is safe. Alabama reports 11 such sites, Kentucky has 14, and West Virginia allows 15 firms to practice this method of disposal, which is cheaper than filtration and drying systems or building dams. Pennsylvania and Ohio each have two such sites. (Read more)

Ken Ward of The Charleston Gazette notes in his blog Coal Tattoo that Smith refers to a West Virginia case in which Boone County residents are asking a judge to stop the process, "citing high levels of toxic materials they believe are leaching from the slurry into drinking water supplies." Their lawyers argue, "The coal industry has plausible options in which to process coal. The residents of Prenter and Seth do not have an alternative as it pertains to their health." (Read more)

The process of putting slurry into underground mines may bring up memories of the slurry spill in Martin County, Kentucky, in 2000, but that was a case where the slurry was in an impoundment, broke through into old mine workings and flowed downstream.