Friends of the Cheat has been informed that a developer is proposing to build and operate a 150 acre industrial landfill about 1 mile south of Bruceton Mills, in the Big Sandy sub-watershed (please see attached map). The WV Department of Environmental Protection has been informed about this potential project, but has yet to receive the Class F industrial landfill permit application. Friends of the Cheat was advised to contact the Preston County Solid Waste Authority to find out more information, but has yet to receive a response. We were also informed that local landowners may have already sold land in the areas of interest but we do not know this for certain.
According to the information provided to Friends of the Cheat, the landfill, a proposed solid waste facility, would serve as a disposal site for residual brine from natural gas drilling operations. Residual brine is a term for a by-product of Marcellus shale drilling, specifically a process called hydro fracturing or fracing. Water recovered from the fracing process contains a variety of proprietary compounds in addition to high levels of salt. The environmental impacts of these fluids is yet to be determined and many aspects of the process is currently unregulated here in West Virginia. Other pollutant threats include sediment from construction and increased truck traffic.
Friends of the Cheat is concerned about this potential development. The Big Sandy sub-watershed was the first local area successfully restored from the impacts of abandoned mine drainage (AMD) pollution. A collaboration of partners, agencies, and individuals logged many hours and contributed millions of dollars to bring the Sandy back. This success story was recently highlighted in Trout Unlimited's report, "Restoring the Wealth of the Mountains: Cleaning Up Appalachia's Abandoned Mines":
http://www.tu.org/atf/cf/%7BED0023C4-EA23-4396-9371-8509DC5B4953%7D/TU%20AMD %20report.pdf
“The Little Sandy doesn’t look like most streams polluted by mine drainage,” says Bill Thorne of the TU P. Pendleton Kennedy Chapter. “It looks like a healthy stream lined with boulders, riffles and good forest canopy.” The Little Sandy used to hold thriving trout populations, but extensive mining in the middle of the 20th century led to their demise. “A lot of people looked at us like we were crazy for trying to bring back Little Sandy, because they thought the stream would be dead forever,” says Thorne. “But a few of us saw that the water’s worst was in its past and that we could help it in the future.”
Working through the River of Promise framework, several mine drainage treatment technologies were installed along the Little Sandy and its feeder streams during the late 1990s. Notably, several of these projects were made possible by the OSM Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative. The National Mine Lands Reclamation Center at West Virginia University was also a key player, adding both the experience and ability that come from years of exploring mine drainage issues. These combined efforts paid off. In 2002, state fisheries biologists discovered many young-of-the-year brook trout in a Little Sandy tributary to which a team of volunteers, including many TU members, had transferred brook trout during the preceding year. Because brook trout cannot survive without clean, cold water, the fact that natural reproduction was occurring was a significant sign of progress for the watershed.
In addition to providing habitat for West Virginia's most popular game fish and state fish, the brook trout, the Big Sandy is a getaway for whitewater enthusiasts. Referred to as "a pristine whitewater jewel...unlike anything else on the east coast," the Sandy hosts a variety of rapids that will challenge top notch kayakers (lower Sandy) and entertain the family (upper Sandy).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RVqglTw-6Q&feature=channel
The Big Sandy and its tributaries also provide valuable fresh water resources to the local community, which includes some of Preston County's most valued farm land.
Friends of the Cheat encourages concerned individuals and groups to stay informed and ask questions about the proposed landfill. The permitting process requires public meetings, but it is imperative that the research and conversations begin now so everyone is prepared for a healthy discussion based on facts. Please distribute this e-mail and information to community members, fisherman, boaters, environmental advocates and anybody downstream so we can work together to protect the Sandy.
Sincerely,
Amanda Pitzer Executive Director Friends of the Cheat
