Mine reclamation project underway in Buchanan County
Source: Mine reclamation project underway in Buchanan County | Local News | bdtonline.com GRUNDY, Va. — A mine reclamation project is underway in Buchanan County that state officials say will protect 22 homes. According to the Virginia Department of Energy, a state agency formerly known as the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, a $699,108 reclamation project is underway on multiple sites along the Lynn Camp Creek area of Buchanan County. The agency said abandoned mine land features at those sites are considered a danger to 22 nearby homes as well as an environmental concern to the community. An Abandoned Mine Land (AML) grant has been awarded to repair the area, including landslides, drainage issues and closing old mine openings. “Ridding the Lynn Camp Creek community of several of these hazards is the number one goal of our AML program,” Virginia Energy AML Projects Coordinator Lesa Baker said in a prepared statement. “We have thousands of these features across the Commonwealth and we evaluate those that can have the greatest impact every day. With the safety and environmental improvements made during this work, we can celebrate another successful AML reclamation project on the books.” The state has contracted with C&S Construction and Excavating, LLC for the project. Baker said crews will remove and repair damages caused by four landslides. In all, 27 mine openings created for underground coal mining will be closed to the public but in a way that ensures long term drainage of the historic mine works, the agency said. Proper drainage also will be established in the community to prevent erosion and protect nearby streams. On Oct. 1 of this month, the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) became Virginia Energy. The Abandoned Mine Land program now falls under the Mined Land Repurposing program within Virginia Energy.