Lake Wilma reopens
“The ‘No trespassing’ signs have come down and we are confirming that this is a go,” said Joe Cerenzia, CONSOL Energy manager of public relations. CONSOL Energy was forced to temporarily close the lake to the public in August when the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) enforced oversight issues that were not being addressed.
For MSHA to continue as the agency that was responsible for the location, CONSOL would have been required to hazard train anyone who would be on the property.
This would include wearing safety gear such as goggles and hard hats. CONSOL elected to temporarily close the lake instead.
During the period of the closure CONSOL followed through on an application previously submitted to the Department of Environmental Safety’s Dam Safety department.
This paperwork requested that the lake be deemed for recreational usage and that the structure integrity and oversight be in the hands of PA Dam Safety.
Cerenzia told the Messenger previously that CONSOL was committed to continue to use Lake Wilma as a recreational facility.
“We know that it is a valuable resource and we will do what we need to do in this process to get this resolved,” Cerenzia said.
The resolution came when the application submitted by CONSOL to PA Dam Safety was approved and then MSHA turned control for the lake over to PA Dam Safety.
MSHA had been the agency responsible for oversight of the lake when it ceased to be used as a working part of CONSOL’s Blacksville #1 Mine.