Oct 26, 2005 By Angie Santello 7 min read

MASONTOWN -Residents learned Tuesday they will have to endure eight more months of the disruptions caused by blasts at Amerikohl Mining’s Honsaker Mine in German Township. Many residents among the 45 to 50 in attendance left the public meeting hosted by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) displeased by answers to their questions concerning the blasting that has taken place since the beginning of this year.

DEP officials and representatives with Amerikohl Mining, including company vice president Dave Maxwell, contended that damage to homes and property was not caused by the blasting and implied that the disruption of lives is something to be expected.

Amerikohl’s blasting contractor, J&D Explosvies of Meyersdale, Somerset County, is blasting the overburden above the coal so the mining company can mine the Sewickley and Redstone coal seams, according to a news release from DEP.

Fred Ulishney, explosives inspector with DEP in Greensburg, said all “shots” or blasts seismographed were well within compliance, except one violation, which DEP ordered Amerikohl to correct by adjusting their blasting until it comes within compliance.

“If we felt that they were causing this type of damage, we’d have them cease their blasting and resubmit and prove they were in compliance,” Ulishney said.

“They’re going to feel it. It’s going to shake their houses, but that doesn’t mean it is causing damage,” he added.

He said that the DEP is monitoring the site and is to require the mining company to lessen the force of the blasts partially through immediately implementing “stemming” or filling the top of the blasting holes with gravel, a technique that diminished the effect of the vibrations in other areas of the state where blasting caused disruptions.

“We’re trying to do all we can to minimize these problems,” DEP compliance manager C. R. Greene assured the crowd.

After facing a few hot words from North Water Street resident Sue McCracken, Maxwell told the crowd that the company is changing the blasting and doing whatever else it takes so the houses will not continue to move.

Residents, such as North Water Street resident Dorothy Cappellini, worried about the damage after the mining is over the company has left.

Maxwell said the company is never gone, even when it leaves the area.

“We’ve been mining in Fayette County for the last 20 years. We’re not gone. We’re going to be here,” he said. “If anyone has a problem, continue to call DEP or my office.”

He noted everyone will benefit from the coal being mined, as it will go to Hatfield Ferry Power Plant to supply the electricity residents experience when they flick on a switch.

Fayette County Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites said he wrote a letter to Gov. Ed Rendell to make him aware of the numerous residents’ concerns and to ask for his assistance in the matter.

“They are concerned, they have problems,” Vicites said. “I want to know what can be done to satisfy their concerns and what impact would they have long-term. …It’s nothing against the mining company. I know they’re trying to do their job and move forward, but you can’t disrupt people’s lives like this. It has to be reviewed and looked at and revisited.”

He added: “I’ve got more calls on this then any issue I’ve seen in the last 10 years.

Greene said he hopes no one left with the impression that DEP isn’t willing to try to do anything to lessen the blasts, but noted that no blasts were in violations and as a regulatory agency, there are limits to what they can do.

Councilman Tom Loukota said he could see “the smoke” or lack of results from the officials at the meeting.

“The Department of Interior told me that they (DEP) have the right to modify their blasting to ease the pressure,” said Loukota. “I don’t see anything they’re going to do to help anybody. Who does the DEP represent – Amerikohl or us? They’re supposed to be protecting us, the people.”

At one point during the meeting, North Water Street resident Donald “Doc” Franks riled discontent Masontown residents by telling DEP officials that their charts, graphs and maps mean nothing, but what residents of Masontown need and want are answers.

“We don’t want to see charts. We want answers,” Franks said. “You guys will not admit there’s a problem here.”

DEP officials said in response that “to this point, (Amerikohl) is in compliance.”

A couple of residents volunteered to have their homes sites of testing. Some complained of sinkholes and cracks in their yards, homes and garages. One resident asked if it was normal to blast so close to a town.

“It’s not normal, but it occurs,” said Greene, noting an application to mine within the city limits of Pittsburgh is sitting on the desk of DEP right now.

Some residents, including those on North Water, were not satisfied with the answers presented by the DEP, maintaining that visible cracks in their homes and yards did not form until the blasting began.

DEP officials said a drought could have caused one-foot deep cracks in the earth in the backyard of North Water Street resident Joe Stoffa and cracks in the brickwork and concrete of homes and property could be caused by the material of the home expanding and contracting in response to the weather.

“These things pose much greater (risk) to houses,” said Rick Lamkie, chief of explosives at DEP in Harrisburg.

Residents can file claims with DEP concerning damage they insist is caused by Amerikohl’s blasting.

Lamkie said after a disagreement arose about the conclusion of one claim filed by a North Water Street property owner, he traveled from Harrisburg to inspect the damage and concluded that it was not caused by blasting.

Residents were advised by the state Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday to explore the possibility that mine subsidence may be causing the damage.

And if homeowners do have mine subsidence insurance, to contact their agent to explore the possibility of damage caused by mine subsidence.

For those that don’t, the first step to determine if the insurance is needed, according to Betsy Mallison, community relations with DEP in Pittsburgh, is to log onto the Web site www.paMSI.org and type in your ZIP code to look at a map of Masontown that will show if your home has been undermined.

If a mine does run beneath your home, DEP has directed you to get mine subsidence insurance. Those residents who live in Sandy Bottom have a reason to be concerned about mine subsidence, said the officials.

Making the threat doubly real for the residents of Masontown, DEP officials said they have met with Masontown residents who have encountered mine subsidence at their homes, so it is a threat in the area, but, again disputing any damage caused by blasting, Ulishney said blasting cannot trigger mine subsidence.

Mallison said mine subsidence insurance will not cover the current damage North Water Street residents and others have spoke of, but will reimburse people for future damage caused by mine subsidence. To determine whether any future damage is caused by mine subsidence, DEP will send someone out to assess the damage once reported.

Despite what some believe, mine subsidence insurance is inexpensive, costing a homeowner $1 per every $1,000 of what a home’s worth, said Mallison.