The Coal Sludge within Martin County
Framing Statement: How did the Martin County Coal Corporation coal slurry spill of 2000 influence Martin County, Eastern Kentucky?
Since the early 1800’s and the beginning of the industrial era, coal mining has been an essential resource. The fossil fuel benefits the modern era, fueling electrical appliances and providing jobs for families throughout America. Yet, why does coal often have a negative connotation? Coal extraction and refinement hides an ugly truth; coal industries also extract impurities and produce coal slurry or sludge. Coal slurry is a semi-liquid byproduct that forms when water separates coal components from non-combustible ash during coal extraction and refinement (Salyer). Since coal slurry is a hazardous environmental pollutant, coal impoundments prevent contamination and leakage of the toxic mixture of metals and compounds, including mercury, arsenic, chromium, and various other compounds. In the case of Martin County, many residents had no knowledge of a coal slurry reservoir that hide within the mountains.
In 2000, a Massey Energy coal impoundment (Martin County Coal Company) in Martin County, Eastern Kentucky ruptured at midnight and released approximately 300 million gallons of coal slurry (Assessment 4; Salyer). The “black water” contaminated the surrounding communities and 90 miles of waterways, overflowing Wolf Creek, Coldwater Fork, the Big Sandy River, and Tug Fork River with “black water.” The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and University of Kentucky reassured the public about the water quality, noting that the water was safe to drink. In particular, the EPA and MCCC tested both public and private water wells. After reducing the amount of coal slurry with lime oxide these agencies noted that some toxic metals were above the appropriate maximum contaminant level, but stated that the rivers and streams were safe. Furthermore, the government organized forums and funded a $2 million-dollar investigation of coal slurry production with the National Research Council to discuss alternative coal mining methods and water quality within Martin County. It was determined that there were no long-term effects from the contamination. However, the toxic levels of coal debris killed approximately 1.6 million fish and polluted water within 2,700 residential homes (Salyer). As a result, the public raised concerns about toxic bioaccumulation within crops and vegetables that grew near contaminated rivers and soil. Similarly, many residents noted that calcium carbonate and white flecks persisted within tap water and as a powder on pots and pan. Some individuals experienced skin irritation and nausea when showering and drinking tap water. Therefore, the Martin County community worried about their health, fearing that the chemicals would cause cancer or fertility problems. Thus, there was a communal distrust of the Martin County water, the Martin County Coal Company, and the government.
Since the MCCC had not warned the Martin County citizens of the rupture and there was a similar sludge rupture in the same impoundment in 1994, many residents were skeptical of the government and the Martin County Coal Company. Why had reservoir ruptured twice? In 1994, MSHA officials had mandated that the MCCC had to decrease the coal slurry levels in the reservoir and had to increase the impoundment walls by 80 feet (Salyer). Thus, many residents were skeptical of the MCCC and the government because the impoundment ruptured six years apart, despite the changes. Thus, some Martin County individuals actively and vocally participated in the contamination clean-up process and monitor the water quality. Many residents paid for private agencies to test their water and some individuals collaborated with the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition to form the organization HELP. This organization discussed plans to reduce coal slurry contamination, established telecommunications with the EPA and the MCCC, and demanded safe water quality with the Kentuckian Fiscal Court. Furthermore, Martin County residents promoted a bill in 2004 that would establish an emergency action plan in the case of an impoundment leakage; even though the bill passed the senate in 2004, it was dropped in 2008 by the House of Representatives (“Risky” 164). Although the public attempted to reduce contamination and drafted plans to resolve future coal slurry ruptures, the MCCC and EPA maintained control over the situation. Thus, the lack of communication between the community and the MCCC led to resentment and distrust towards the MCCC and the government.
Similarly, some residents felt that the EPA and government were lenient of the situation and sided with the MCCC. Out of thirty-two interviewed residents, “twenty-one were highly distrustful and critical of MCCC- Massey” and many interviewees viewed the government as “incompetent” (“Post Disaster” 13). Some Martin County individuals feared that the government prompted a cover-up for the coal company. After the rupture, the MCCC took responsibility for the contamination clean-up and stated that the rupture was an unpredictable “Act of God” (“Post Disaster” 16). Thus, the EPA gave the MCCC full control of the clean-up, official press releases for the community, and contamination testing. The MSHA and EPA originally noted eight to nine mining violations and fined the MCCC a $110,000 fine, but the Bush Administration reduced the fines to $5,600 with only two violations (Salyer). Overall, the MCCC paid half a million dollars to the Kentucky State Division of Water, and in 2005 the Kentucky State Environmental Quality Commission fined the MCCC for $150,000 of environmental damages (Assessment 4). Thus, the EPA and MSHA gave MCCC full control over the contamination recovery and it took many years for the Martin County Coal Company to suffer any fines.
Since the Martin County Coal Company and the government provided little information for the residents and there were reduced repercussions for the coal slurry rupture, the Martin County residents were uneasy. Even today there are still lingering effects from the coal slurry. Therefore, many Martin County residents noted a conspiracy that the government sided with the coal industry in a cover-up; this skepticism fueled a communal distrust of the MCCC and the government. This information could potentially aid future coal sludge ruptures and expose the ugly truths about the coal company and the government.
Website: https://jmbaker0330.wixsite.com/website
Citations:
ATSDR. Health Consultation MARTIN COUNTY COAL SLURRY RELEASE INEZ, MARTIN COUNTY, KENTUCKY EPA FACILITY ID: KYN000407233. 2006, http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov.
Mcspirit, Stephanie, et al. Assessment of Finished Water, Public Water System: Martin County, KY. 2006, https://martincounty.eku.edu/sites/martincounty.eku.edu/files/Water_Fnl.pdf.
McSpirit, Stephanie, et al. “EPA Actions in Post Disaster Martin County, Kentucky: An Analysis of Bureaucratic Slippage and Agency Recreancy.” Journal of Appalachian Studies, vol. 11, no. 1/2, 2005, pp. 30–59. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41446653.
Salyer, Robert, director. Sludge. Appalshop Films, 2005.
Scott, Shaunna L., et al. “Post Disaster Interviews with Martin County Citizens: ‘Gray Clouds’ of Blame and Distrust.” Journal of Appalachian Studies, vol. 11, no. 1/2, 2005, pp. 7–29. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41446652.
Scott, Shaunna L., et al. “Risky Business: Coal Waste Emergency Planning in West Virginia and Kentucky.” Journal of Appalachian Studies, vol. 18, no. 1/2, 2012, pp. 149–175. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23337712.
