Highway in the Mountain

Along the Route 52 corridor in West Virginia, a revolutionary construction partnership is utilizing work currently being done by coal companies to bring lasting economic impact into an impoverished region. West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) is working in partnership with coal companies who practice mountain top removal to build the King Coal Highway. The King Coal highway will stretch from Bluefield to Williamson, and eventually be part of Interstate 73 and 74, which will connect Myrtle Beach, SC to Detroit, MI. Even though this interstate will bring a much needed economic boost to the area, it may have costly environmental implications.

Mountain top removal is a controversial form of coal mining where the ground is blasted away to expose seams of coal, the coal is then removed, and then the ground is resurfaced to balance the cut and fill from the remaining blasted material, usually leaving a piece of flat land. For the King Coal Highway partnership, WVDOT required the coal companies to level the road to rough grade during the resurfacing process, such that WVDOT could come in and pave the road with minimal work. So far, 7 of the 90 miles have been brought to rough grade by one of the partner companies, Alpha Natural Resources, at the Premium mine site near Red Jacket, WV.

From the economic standpoint, this project holds many benefits. It is estimated to have saved the state of West Virginia an estimated $150 million in construction costs on the already constructed 7-miles of road in Red Jacket, bringing the price down to $90 million. More importantly than saving the state money, this will create a major bypass through impoverished counties (such as Mingo, Wyoming, and Mercer), inevitably bringing them much needed tourism, retail, and industry. The major thoroughfare between these counties, Route 52, is currently a dangerous two-lane route being used by everyone from coal trucks to ambulances; however, the construction of this highway should help to relieve this problem.

Even with all the economic good, this mining and construction can have drastic environmental effects. While the permits obtained for this type of work are usually mining permits, the permits being obtained by these companies are road construction permits. Road construction permits are easier to obtain and have less environmental regulations; in fact, a judge halted all valley fill permits unless they are used for construction purposes. To note though, even with lesser regulations, an Environmental Impact Statement was filled and approved before any mining took place. Also through the mining process, trees are removed and previously compacted soil disturbed, which can lead to enormous erosion and flooding during heavy rains. Along with that, many valleys and streams are permanently filled, often times in violation of the Clean Water Act.

The King Coal Highway is a classic example of having to balance economic benefit with environmental impact.