ATHENS TWP, Pa (WENY) -- The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is holding a public hearing regarding the proposed Minard Mine in Athens Township on September 26, 2023.  The hearing will take place at Athens Area High School auditorium at 6PM.  Doors will open at 5:30PM, and the meeting will run until 8PM.

Registration to speak at the meeting is happening in advance.  To register, contact Jodi Comas, the Environmental Justice Coordinator for the PA DEEP, at [email protected] or 570-327-3656.  Onside registrations to testify will also be taken as space allows.

The DEEP says that comments will be limited to three minutes or less.  They say a short overview of permit status will be provided, but staff will not respond or answer to any comments or questions on the day of the hearing.  A transcript of the hearing will be available to the public at a later date.

The plans for this mine are proposed by Bishop Brothers Construction Company, Inc. The site is located along the Chemung River, and the project area is over 350 acres. The plans would allow for the blasting and removal of sandstone on the hillside above Tutelage Creek.

The plans for the Minard Mine can be found on the PA DEEP website, here.