Pine Branch Mining, LLC Receives Award for Mine Reclamation from Department for Natural Resources

FRANKFORT, Ky., Oct. 28 -- The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet issued the following news release:

The Department for Natural Resources presented a 2013 Award for Excellence in Reclamation to Pine Branch Mining, LLC for its outstanding reclamation work on permit # 867-0478. This operation is a 644-acre surface mining and contour operation located near Oliver Creek, a tributary to the Kentucky River Watershed in Perry County, Kentucky near the community of Yerkes.

The company exercised a great deal of care to prevent adverse off-site impacts to the immediate receiving stream. The company is successfully reclaiming the site to post mining land uses of "hay land/pasture" and, where wildlife enhancement areas are created, the company will utilize the Forestry Reclamation Approach to insure proper reforestation.

The site was nominated by Division of Mine Reclamation and Enforcement (DMRE) London Regional Office inspection personnel, and selected by the Department because of the company's outstanding reclamation work and its commitment to a healthy environment. DMRE inspection staff assigned to this site over the years has included Ron Frye, Derrick Slone, Justin Morgan, Jeff Howard, Jeff Wright, Clayton Nance, Kevin Hembree and Steve Vance.

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