BLACKSBURG, Va. – Efforts are ramping up to document and fix abandoned coal mines in our region after a big increase in funding over the past couple of years from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The New River Valley is one of three coal mining regions in the state.
Jesse Whitt with the Virginia Department of Energy is part of a team that fixes mines left sitting for decades.
“The most obvious reason to close the mine entry is so that nobody enters into the mine,” Whitt said. “Mines are very dangerous.”
He said when you’re hiking in the area, it never hurts to keep an eye out for what may be underneath your feet. Coal on the ground is a good indicator you may be near one. If that’s the case, stick to the trail.
“They’re nothing like caves,” Whitt said. “They don’t have proper ventilation. The walls can be very unstable. The roof can be very unstable. It’s definitely hazardous.”
Just a couple of years ago, the Department of Energy received about $23 million to fix the mines and their environmental concerns like drainage. Now, the group continues to discover more and more abandoned mine land.
“A couple of years ago, we had about 5,000 data points that we collected,” Whitt said. “We’re now to about 7,400.”
Before you hit the trails, take a look at this map to see spots you should avoid.
“We’re going to be out here more,” Virginia Department of Energy Public Relations Manager Tarah Kesterson said. “You’re going to see our teams doing some work, hopefully improving some things.”
If you find anything that you suspect could be associated with an abandoned coal mine, the Department of Energy asks you to contact them at 276-523-8100 or vaenergy@energy.virginia.gov.