Tom Rathbun
Tom Rathbun
asking believe cleaning federal focused historic state
The state is focused on cleaning up this huge, historic mess. We don't believe we're asking for anything extravagant (from the federal government) to do it.
problems since
These problems have been going on since 1990.
frost meeting
The supervisors and FROST requested a meeting with us when we neared the end of the process.
answer asking explain law legal meeting officials opinion opportunity stands sunshine
In the opinion of our legal counsel, an informational meeting does not violate the Sunshine Law. We were not asking township officials to take an action. This was an opportunity to explain where (the permit) stands so we can answer questions.
filled kid lined mountain orange rivers trees
Mountain streams and rivers that were orange when I was a kid are now filled with fish, are now lined with trees and rhododendrons, and that's progress.
amended bigger concern despite management several
Management was a bigger concern to us than the finances. The reclamation just wasn't being done despite several amended agreements.
finding people
Everyone said there's nothing you can do about it. Now people are finding out you can.
asked discuss frost known meeting private process review trouble
The supervisors and FROST had requested a private meeting at the end of the review process to discuss what was going to be in the permit. We were doing what we were asked to do. If we had known the trouble this would cause, we wouldn't have done it that way.
awful looking people problem solution time
There are an awful lot of people that have put time into making this happen, people who aren't looking at the problem and complaining, but looking for a solution to the problem.
review welcome
We welcome any independent review of what we do.
government groups hands job local open sitting smaller solutions state waiting
We're not sitting on our hands waiting for someone to hand us money. With smaller watershed groups and state and local government being open to new ideas, our job is to see that other solutions are being put into practice.
mining money touch work
We need something that's going to work for the Appalachian states; any place there was mining before the 1970s, there's a real need for reclamation. And that money still only cleans up higher-priority sites; it doesn't even touch on all the non-coal quarries in need of reclamation.
addressing continue federal looking money wait
We're not going to wait around for federal money to continue addressing these problems. We're looking at other options.
site work
Work at that site has just come to a standstill.