The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has issued an Imminent Harm Cessation Order to Coal Valley’s Williams No. 2 mine near Enterprise in Harrison County for a black water spill that occurred earlier today.
The spill was first reported to the DEP by an anonymous caller at around 9 a.m. Inspectors with the Division of Mining and Reclamation traced the residue of the spill to the source. There was no evidence or report of a fish kill as result of the spill.
While the specific cause has not been determined, it appears that the black water escaped from a treatment pond and into Bingamon Creek. The spill traveled from Bingamon Creek to the West Fork River, where it continued downstream.
While the cause continues to be investigated by the DEP, the Cessation Order requires the company to stop all activity and conduct its own evaluation of the conditions that caused the spill and propose a plan for improvement.