Potential Surface Settlement due to Historic Coal Mining at Red Lodge, MT
5/13/2013
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Abandoned Mine Lands Program in conjunction with the Carbon County Historical Society will conduct an informational public meeting to present information about historic coal mining in Red Lodge, Montana, potential surface settlement due to the historic mines, upcoming field investigations to determine if surface settlement is occurring, and what the public can expect during investigation activities.
The public meeting is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 23, 2013, at the Carbon County Historical Society and Museum located at 224 N. Broadway, Red Lodge, Montana. The public is encouraged to attend and will have an opportunity to ask questions.
Historic coal mining occurred in Red Lodge from the late 1880s through the early 1930s with as many as four separate coal seams mined beneath the town. The DEQ Abandoned Mine Lands Program has received several complaints related to possible surface settlement in Red Lodge that may be associated with the historic coal mines. To determine if settlement from the historic mines is occurring, the DEQ plans to conduct an intensive field investigation during summer/fall 2013. The field investigation will include drilling test boreholes, conducting geophysical surveys, completing selective home inspections, installing and surveying elevation monuments and using high resolution imagery to create more detailed maps; all in the town of Red Lodge.
Funding for the project is provided through a grant from the Federal Office of Surface Mining Control, Reclamation and Enforcement.
The DEQ will make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities who wish to participate in this meeting. If you require an accommodation, please contact Jeni Garcin at (406) 841-5016 or jgarcin2@mt.gov. For more information or questions about the project, contact Pebbles Opp at popp@mt.gov or DEQ Remediation Division, PO Box 200901, Helena, MT 59620-0901.