West Liberty Borough doesn't generate many newspaper headlines, but one that appeared in Wednesday's Butler Eagle brought word about a welcome development for the community.

A nearly half-mile-long highwall left behind from past surface mining will finally be eliminated, grading will return the site to pre-mining contours, and the project also will be geared at controlling erosion and runoff.

A highwall is an unexcavated face of soil, rock and coal left at a surface mining site. It is anticipated that the work will be completed by spring.

Money for the work — $288,328 — is coming from the state, which received the money from the federal government's Abandoned Mine Lands Fund.

Kathleen McGinty, secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection, said, "These sites endanger public health and stifle economic growth in former mining communities."

Even more basic of a point is that such a condition wastes land that could otherwise be put to productive use, even if only as usable open space for outdoor enjoyment.

Besides backfilling the highwall with 205,000 cubic yards of on-site spoil material, the project will involve the planting of 990 evergreen seedlings and 1,650 seedlings for other types of trees.

The site's total recovery will take time, but at least that recovery is well under way.