POWELL RIVER PROJECT



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.