The Governor of Pennsylvania and PA DEP Secretary Dave Hess and countless others deserve our praise for the rescue of nine miners in Somerset County. 

However, the story that was missed by Geraldo and CNN is the impact to the Quemahoning Creek watershed.  Untreated mine water was pumped into Quemahoning Creek during the rescue effort.  No one, certainly not MLTU, has a problem with that during an emergency situation.  Human life is more important than fish.

Unfortunately, pumping of the untreated mine water continued for over five days pouring millions of gallons of mine water in the stream.

A pumping facility was set up in addition to the pumping at the Quecreek mine site that pumped untold amounts of mine water directly down a hillside and into the upper reaches of Quemahoning Creek for days after the rescue was complete.  The PA DEP allowed the normally illegal activity until August 2, 2002.  Water samples were taken by the Somerset Conservation District and MLTU and have yet to be analyzed.  The PA DEP also took samples and claimed that elevated iron levels as the pumping continued led to a stoppage of the pumping.  The DEP states that the primary impact is that of increased turbidity only.  However, a heavy coating of iron and sediment is clearly evident for miles downstream.

MLTU has asked the Governor and Secretary Hess for an explanation of why pumping continued and numerous other questions regarding this matter.  MLTU and dozens of other organizations and agencies including PA DEP have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and countless hours improving the water quality of the Quemahoning watershed.  Initial indications indicate, although unconfirmed, that there may have been set backs to these efforts and that it could have been largely prevented.