Appalachian School of Law students researching 'gob coal' for policy initiatives - WCYB

GRUNDY, Va. — Law students in southwest Virginia are currently involved in research that could impact the way abandoned coal deposits are handled in Virginia.

Just because coal is mined does not always mean it is used. ‘Gob’ coal, or garbage of bituminous, causes environmental concerns for many communities in our region.

“It is waste coal that has been mined over many, many years as reject coal that coal companies have chosen not to take the time to sell or process it,” Mark Kuhn said. “They just throw it over the riverbanks, throw it over the side of the mountain, and have left it there over the past several years.” Kuhn serves as the Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center Director.

The issue has been at the forefront for many who advocate for reclamation and removal of hazards from mine lands. In the past, the remnants might have been left behind or covered up, which has often left state lawmakers searching for ways to clean up burdened areas.

Now, students at the Appalachian School of Law in Grundy are assisting in the efforts through the Natural Resource Law Center.

“ASL is partnering with eConsult Solutions Inc., ESI, out of Pennsylvania as a company that worked closely with the legislature in Pennsylvania to clean up gob piles. Our students are researching various options for the cleanup,” President and Dean B. Keith Faulkner told us.

Students at the law school plan to introduce potential policy improvements. The research includes analyzing Dominion Energy’s efforts to reduce gob coal deposits in the region. The company has found a way to burn it at the center outside of St. Paul to create electricity.

“We burn the gob, but we don’t burn it with strictly gob. We have to combine it with run-of-mine coal because you cannot burn 100 percent gob at this time because it has a lot of clay, dirt, and rocks and stuff in it,” Kuhn said.

Gob makes up about 30 percent of the fuel burned at the plant. Since 2012, the company has burnt more than four million tons of the gob coal. He said they are working to increase the amount of gob they can burn. He said it takes technological advances and equipment replacements to increase the volume.

“Virginia City is the only power station in the state of Virginia that burns this gob coal. Pennsylvania and West Virginia have some facilities as well,” Kuhn said.

Some of those reasons are why lawmakers like Sen. Todd Pillion (R – Abingdon) are paying close attention to the research coming from the Appalachian School of Law.

“We’ve known for years the economic benefits of Virginia City, the power plant, and what it’s done for our counties by providing an economic engine,” Pillion said. “What we’re now seeing and researching is the environmental impact its having on cleaning up gob piles that are throughout southwest Virginia that are polluting by actively burning and also polluting our streams by leeching minerals and waste into them.”

Southwest Virginia representatives rallied successfully for an extended opening for the Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center during the passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act.

Lawmakers say they plan to consider the current research taking place when they return to Richmond for session in January.

source: https://wcyb.com/news/local/appalachian-school-of-law-students-researching-gob-coal-for-policy-initiatives

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