By Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia environmental regulators have given their blessing for plans to move forward for a surface mine in Raleigh County that has renewed concerns about health and geological impacts from steep slope mining in the area.
The state Department of Environmental Protection approved a permit application from Republic Energy LLC last week for a metallurgical surface mine that would disturb 1,085 acres three miles south of Clear Creek.
The subsidiary of Tennessee-based Alpha Metallurgical Resources, which changed its name from Contura Energy in February, intends to move 245 million cubic yards of earth to mine 11.2 million tons of coal over eight years.
The operation is expected to provide employment opportunities for more than 100 local coal miners.
“Alpha is pleased to receive permit approval for this project and we look forward to expanding our safe, responsible operations for many years to come,” the company wrote in an email Wednesday…
