Associated Press Published

Mine Operator Proposes Alternate Shaft Location

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A coal mine operator has proposed an alternate location for a ventilation shaft near Grafton’s Tygart Lake State Park after residents and park visitors complained.

The Department of Environmental Protection says the new site proposed by ICG Tygart Valley would be farther away from the park boundary and on a wooded hilltop. The previously proposed site was in a valley.
 
The DEP says the company also plans to construct a berm around the new site and plant trees to further obscure its view.
 
In addition, the Arch Coal subsidiary plans to encase a fan motor in a cinderblock structure insulated with foam to address concerns about noise. The fan housing would be covered with sound-proofing material and additional foam and include an exhaust tube that directs noise vertically.