Great news for Greene
News that a company wants to build a power plant along the Monongahela River in Greene County would be welcome enough in an area eager for construction jobs. But the news is even sweeter. Wellington Development of Fairmont, W.Va., announced that it plans to clean up millions of tons of slag piles throughout the area and use the coal refuse to generate electricity. The plant will be located on the former LTV Nemacolin Mine in Cumberland Township where millions of tons of mining waste await burning. The government currently spends millions each year attempting to reclaim, or clean up, old mine sites. Yet numerous slag piles still scar the terrain, leaching minerals into ground water that we would all rather do without.
This plant, if it gains the necessary environmental permits and financial backing, will have found a way to turn that waste into a money-making venture for the company, and a source of electricity to heat and light our homes and businesses.
Wellington is laying claims that the plant will meet or exceed all clean air standards so that pollution residents might have feared from a coal-burning plant would be negligible. The company also plans to turn over to the township possibly for recreational uses the land that it clears of gob piles. Barring any glitches, ground breaking will begin next year with construction taking about three years and 350 to 700 workers to complete. Once the plant is on-line, Wellington estimates 65 employees will be needed to run it and another 90 to work at the slag piles and transport the fuel.
The skeptics among us want to pick at the announcement to find the gray lining in this silver cloud, but for now it appears to be great news all around.