Major Accomplishments over PRP’s first 25 years (1980–2005):
Powell River Project partnered with state and federal agencies to
support the first comprehensive groundwater characterization survey of
the Virginia coalfield, and to initiate geologic mapping of the
Virginia coalfields and its coal resources back in the early 1980s.
Also in the ‘80s, Lee Daniels (Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences)
research paved the way for widespread use of topsoil substitutes by the
Appalachian coal industry. Dr. Daniels also developed guidelines for
determining when coal refuse can be revegetated with reduced
topsoil thicknesses and by direct seeding, guidelines that have saved
the Virginia coal industry millions of dollars and remain in use today.
Dr. Daniels’ more recent and current work with coal combustion products
is developing information that is critical to environmentally sound
management of coal ash and similar materials in mining environments,
and has been influential in the development of state agency policy
regarding these practices.
Jim Burger’s (Forestry) research has had a profound impact on mine
reforestation as reclamation methods based on his research - methods
that improve seedling survival and growth --are now employed by mining
firms throughout Appalachia, with the approval and encouragement of
regulatory authorities – and, because these methods increase the
probability of success – reforestation after mining is far more common
today than even 10 years ago.
Powell River Project research, including an survey of acid drainage
impacted streams by biologist Don Cherry (Biology), played a key role
in supporting two environmental improvement initiatives undertaken by
Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy: With Powell River
Project research support (Carl Zipper, Crop and Soil Environmental
Sciences), the agency was a leader among states in developing
incentives for reclamation of abandoned mines by active coal-mining
operations through remining, and the agency’s cooperation enabled the
Army Corps of Engineers’ remediation of a major AMD seep in Lee County.
Between these two initiatives and remining operations by Red River
Coal, the two worst AMD-impacted streams in southwestern Virginia, as
documented by Dr. Cherry, have been fixed.
With Powell River Project support, Virginia Tech Mining and Minerals
Engineer Eric Westman (currently a faculty member, but working undr
Chris Haycocks at that time) conducted the first comprehensive
assessment of Virginia’s coal reserves since the 1950s.
With Powell River Project support, soil scientist Ray Reneau , (Crop
and Soil Environmental Sciences) has documented successful operation of
several technologies for on-site dispersal of septic wastes on mine
soils, and an in-process Powell River Project publication – produced in
cooperation by Virginia Department of Health – recommends septic
wastewater treatment procedures for use by parties seeking to develop
reclaimed mine sites where public sewers are not accessible.
Working with Eastern Coal Council and with Virginia Tech’s Department
of Teaching and Learning, Powell River Project was also instrumental to
initiation and delivery of "Coal to Electricity" Teacher Education
program for K-12 teachers from throughout Virginia, which has just
completed its 9th year.
Area Extension Agent Jon Rockett’s education programs, which use
examples from mining and reclamation to foster student comprehension of
earth and biological sciences as required by Virginia Standards of
Learning, have served at least 30,000 student and teacher visits to the
Center and his programs have become integral to natural resource
education in area schools. A number of individuals whose first exposure
to coal mining was at Powell River Project as students are now employed
by coal-mining firms and government agencies.
