Montgomery Creek, KY
Invasion of ICG
Wednesday, January 17th, 2007
Text courtesy of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
Coal companies have been mining in the Montgomery Creek area of Perry County Kentucky ever since the 1920’s. Most of this mining has been underground or deep mining. In 1999, Leslie Resources Coal Company started strip mining coal on the ridge tops above Montgomery Creek and the hundred or more families that live in the Montgomery Creek hollow. Leslie Resources Coal Company eventually sold to the Addington Brothers who then went bankrupt and eventually the mining operation ended up in the hands of Wilbur Ross Jr. and the International Coal Group (ICG). According to local resident John Roark, they have been using mountaintop removal strip mining for about the last five years on Montgomery Creek.
Members of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth (KFTC) who live on Montgomery Creek attempted to file a Lands Unsuitable for Mining Petition when ICG tried to add more acreage to their mining permit which would bring them even closer to the homes of people. The Kentucky Department of Mining Reclamation and Enforcement responded by saying the resident’s attempts to protect their families and property was “frivolous.â€?
ICG’s original permit showed that they would be mining right up to the property line of one KFTC member’s land. In order to make sure ICG stay off of his property, Mckinley Sumner, had is property surveyed with bright orange markers. When ICG decided they wanted to mine some of Mckinley’s property they not only removed the markers, but they also removed the line tree used to indicate the property line. One lawyer said it’s hard to get them (ICG) for trespassing on his property, because there is no property their any more. It’s just a straight drop-off now. They didn’t just trespass on his property they stole it.
Links:
Learn More about Montgomery Creek
http://www.kftc.org/our-work/canary-project/campaigns/montgomery-creek
KFTC’s Canary Project
http://www.kftc.org/our-work/canary-project
