BUTLER TWP — A Butler company has cleared the municipal hurdle for surface mining on the Thompson farm.

The township supervisors on Wednesday granted a conditional use for Amerikohl Mining to extract coal from a 230-acre farm owned by Dave, Donald and James Thompson.

The company, which is leasing 35 acres of the property, needed the conditional use because the land is zoned for agriculture.

Buffalo officials stressed the company met all the requirements.

“If they meet all the criteria, we have to grant a conditional use,” said township solicitor Larry Lutz.

Although Amerikohl has township clearances, the company also must get state and federal OKs.

John Stilley, company owner, said the approval process is lengthy, so work at the site won’t begin for at least a year.

Richard and Carla Eilenfeld, who have a Tarentum address but own property along Thompson Road, expressed numerous concerns about the mining.

Carla Eilenfeld said the old farmhouse on her land would be turned into a bed and breakfast.

“I want to protect my property,” she said.

Lutz stressed oversight of mining lies mainly with state and federal agencies.

“The township has very little control over this,” he said.

Richard Eilenfeld took exception to Lutz’s explanation. Eilenfeld accused township officials of washing their hands of any oversight.

“It’s upsetting to me we’re getting a Pontius Pilate on this,” he said.

Elaine Hickok, who owns a nearby farm, said she’s worried about creeks becoming polluted.

“Who’s going to provide me water for my cattle,” she said.

Stilley assured residents that his company is required to consider any issues related to mining, including soil stability, water contamination, wetlands, erosion controls and traffic impacts to roads.

He said Amerikohl in its 34 years of business has occasionally exceeded parameters, but never contaminated a body of water in mining 500 sites across the state.

Stilley said his company is responsible for any impact to the water supply of properties in the vicinity of the Thompson farm.

If a well becomes tainted, the company would drill a new well.

Stilley said the mining operation, which will take six months to a year, will consist of removing 10,000 to 15,000 tons of coal each month from a roughly 80,000-ton deposit.

“We’re in and out quickly,” he said.

The operation will run 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. five days a week.

Stilley said the only difference in the land once reclamation is finished is that smaller trees will replace larger ones that were removed.

“The trees won’t be nearly as big,” he said.

Amerikohl will post bonds with the township for roads and a $250,000 to $350,000 bond with the DEP.

The truck route will follow Howes Run Road into Fawn Township, before hitting Route 28.

Stilley said 500 tons of coal would be taken away each day by trucks with a capacity of 25 tons.

Richard Eilenfeld insisted trucks would have to run along the road every 15 minutes to haul that much coal.

Stilley corrected him, saying the accurate number would be two trucks every hour.

Eilenfeld wasn’t convinced.

“I’ll time you,” he said.

Stilley said the official plans for the mining are available at the state Department of Environmental Protection office in Knox, Clarion County.