Officials with the Big South Fork want your ideas for cleaning contaminated mine land drainage and preserving the park for years to come.
For decades, coal mining provided jobs and a way of life for folks living in the Big South Fork area. Now, coal runoff from those abandoned mines present a hazard to many ecosystems within the park.
The group's first meeting Monday allowed the public to discuss ideas to clean up contaminated mine land drainage in Big South Fork.
Exposed coal seams from old mines allows rainwater to mix with coal and eventually run to the river.
A second meeting will take place on Tuesday, July 15 at the McCreary County Senior Citizen's Center and a third meeting will take place on Thursday, July 17 at the Oak Ridge High School food court. Meetings last from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Comments can be submitted online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/biso.
