Regarding a recent legal notice about Allegheny Mineral Corp.’s proposal to open Mine 26 in Brady Township.

I vehemently oppose this proposal for two reasons:

- The proposed mine area is surrounded on three sides by Moraine State Park to the south and east, and Jennings Environmental Education Center to the north and northeast.

- The area is in unacceptable proximity to Big Run which, according to the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, provides critical habitat for a “sensitive species of concern.”

This is far too close to not one, but two state parks. The site plans available at the Butler County Conservation District show a 300-foot buffer from state park property — an absurd limitation on such an intense industrial process. It may keep physical damage a very small distance from the park boundary, but this ugly monstrosity will still be seen and heard far outside that border. The massive amount of noise coming from the mine, including blasting, heavy machinery, conveyors and other industrial equipment and practices will absolutely decimate the soundscape of the surrounding parks, and will be heard for miles in every direction.

The permit area exactly follows the course of Big Run. Allegheny Mineral is applying to discharge treated wastewater into both Big Run and an unnamed tributary that runs through the property to be mined.

According to the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, Big Run and 500 feet to either side of it, are critical core habitat for a “sensitive species of concern, which cannot be named at the request of the jurisdictional agency overseeing its protection.”

The Natural Heritage Program further states: “Maintaining shrubby vegetation along the creek is necessary for the maintenance of the water quality and to provide critical habitat for the species of concern. Riparian vegetation is important to this species as habitat and also as a filter for pollutants. Roads and agricultural areas have disturbed the riparian area. Removal of the riparian vegetation would destroy habitat and allow runoff to enter directly into the stream. Maintain and restore riparian vegetation to provide habitat and protect water quality for the species of concern located at this site.” If roads and agricultural areas have already degraded the water quality, a massive strip mine and direct discharge of treated wastewater will seal its fate. If the permit area does extend to the banks of Big Run, the unnamed species will likely be decimated in the area.

The PA NHP classifies all of Big Run from the point it flows under Route 528 to Slippery Rock Creek as critical core habitat for this species. This mining plan directly threatens an already threatened species, and as such is completely unacceptable.

This strip mine is an absolute abomination, and I am convinced that it is one of the worst locations in all of Butler County to open a strip mine, as if there was a good one. This area is ecologically critical and directly borders one of the most popular state parks in Pennsylvania. It will devastate the surrounding soundscape and air quality, and leave a lasting scar on the land, even when finished and reclaimed, that will last for centuries.

I urge anyone who feels the same to write the Department of Environmental Resources: Knox District Office, White Memorial Building, P.O. Box 669, Knox, PA 16232.