An overview of what are supposed to be "filtration" ponds. This was taken from atop the big fly ash pile and I was standing at about 1,953 feet elevation according to a GPS instrument. One pond to the right is supposed to be lined and allow no leakage, but it is leaking! In the bottom where the ponds are located, and before excavation and installation, fly ash had been hauled into the area. The whole site is an ATV and dirt bike "heaven" on weekends in particular. Since the site is frequented by many young people playing on their ATV's and dirt bikes, there are a number of safety hazards all over the place. Constant exposure to the "stuff" that is here is not going to help their health. But climbing over the things still here -- that cylindrical building in the distance which housed a lime treatment dispenser for instance -- young people have been observed on top of that thing. There is a crane in the area, far left beyond the last pond in the corner, with the boom a few feet off the ground on which young people have been observed jumping up and down -- if the cables should break with some standing underneath the boom, what then?

Here is something known as the "boil pit" -- it is not in view in the above photo, but is located in the distance and to the right in the shaded areas. To the right out of view a short distance you come to the "bony pile" -- where refuse from the mine was dumped over years as it was in operation. There is all kinds of stuff in that pile and there is stuff that leaks out at the base -- some comes into the "boil pit" and there are a number of interesting colors under the surface of the water. The steel beams are being eaten away. The dominant color all over the place seems to be orange. And young people have been observed out on those two beams and jumping up and down on it -- it does "dance" a bit -- all you need is a rock star with his loudspeakers turned up to 300 decibels and you're ready to party!

Now then -- coming out from the "boil pit" and running toward what is known as the "bore hole" is this marvelous "creation" -- corrugated pipe cut in half and laid end to end is supposed to channel whatever is spewed from the "boil pit" to the "bore hole!" Notice how nice and reddish orange is the coloring along the sides of the ditch. Apparently the pipe deal has just been put in place -- in this world of politics such a tactic is known as "window dressing" but what about that stuff that causes that ditch edge to color like that?

Ah, here we are -- not exactly a heaven on earth, is it? This is the "bore hole" -- it is an opening which lets whatever liquid piles up here to go down into the earth underneath where there used to be a coal mine. From the water table under this place a number of families get their water. See what a pleasant color is dominant here? Red and orange might be quite acceptable for apples and oranges, but for a water situation most people say "No!" -- perhaps even the DEP people, if pressed real hard, might agree! You will see to the left of the tank that there is some liquid running -- it's more than water -- it's coming from a pond which is not supposed to leak, but what you see has managed to escape from the pond -- sort of like a prisoner breaking out of the SCI at Cresson PA, only much more serious. And the "bore hole" is another place that fascinates the young as they come in to play on weekends!

How would you like to have something like this running through your back yard? Just another one of those "ooozing" situations here at the Mine #24 site with nothing significant being done to clean it up! Keep in mind that there is a stream of water known as Dutch Run which runs by the lower edge of the Mine #24 site and this stream feeds into a branch of Blacklick Creek.

Now for the real juicy stuff -- see that stuff that is leaking out of what is designated as a "permitted" site? This is at the base of the mound upon which the first overview picture was taken -- remember, it was noted to be about 1,953 feet in elevation from where the photo was taken. There was a kind of bony pile and then it was prepared and fly ash was hauled in over a few years -- ask the residents what they went through on that mess! But before all that, something else took place. An eyewitness can testify because he saw it happen -- when the B & T mine was dismantled, debris of all kinds and junk, including batteries, were buried right in this area where you see that white stuff running out. It was all covered up in the midst of the bony pile and eventually the fly ash was piled on top of it all.

This stuff just keeps on running and running -- kind of like the Energizer Bunny -- it just keeps on going without stopping! Now are you beginning to get the idea that something is terribly amiss here? Appeals to do something have gone unheeded and RNS Services, Inc. still wants to mix acid rock and fly ash here. A few years back during the first fly ash debacle one resident in the area who raises beef cattle had his soil tested by an independent lab (the kind to get when you don't want the final results "flavored" a bit due to lobbyists, political pressure, DEP favoritism, or special interests who stand to make millions if they get their way!) -- fly ash dust had been settling on his property for some time -- the result? One thing they told him -- "Don't eat the grass!" When he mentioned that his cattle were eating it and would be shipped off to market, there was no response from the lab people as to how to handle that little dilemma! But in reality even the grass was contaminated by fly ash dust which was floating around like clouds at times! Look up independent analyses as to what fly ash can do to you -- be skeptical of any "reports" that come from agencies which have political connections! Again, ask the people who went through it to get the truth of a grave injustice which had been done to them! If you think, as certain "officials" would have you believe, that Mine #24 is a "showcase" of purification when it comes to water treatment, then ask PennDOT and DEP officials along with RNS Services, Inc. reps to take a couple spoonfuls of the stuff in the picture and put it in their morning coffee -- in fact, they have a standing invitation to meet at my house and I'll bottle up some of the stuff and serve it in their coffee or tea, which ever enticing drink they want, and we'll toss in a few doughnuts with icing made from that white stuff too!

Hello there! Harry the Hammer here and I just want you to know that more things are to be added in this area, but cdh decided it should be opened up to the public to let people know that the Mine #24 site in Pine Township is an environmental disaster of the first magnitude with nothing of substance being done about it! And this is where the acid rock was to be dumped from Centre County and mixed with fly ash being trucked in from generating stations in Indiana and Cambria Counties! So keep coming back as we work at getting this area completed. There are still some pics to be posted which will spell out the hazards which exist here!