Before Reclamation:

Stream contaminated by waste from refuse pile

Reservoir before reclamation

Amerikohl purchased several hundred acres of property; from the Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal Company (R&P) in 1997; around the old mining town of Ernest. R&P operated an extensive deep mining complex, cleaning plant and coke ovens in the area from 1903 until 1965. During these years, millions of tons of coal refuse from the cleaning plant were deposited on the surface as refuse piles. Two abandoned deep mine discharges flowed from the mines into McKee Run, killing all life in the streams.

After Reclamation:

Reservoir after reclamation

Passive treatment system to clean up stream

Amerikohl purchased the property for the remaining surface mine reserves and to clean up the nearly 100 acres of coal refuse. As of the end of 2004, Amerikohl has shipped 800,000 tons of coal refuse fuel to co-generation plants for electric generation. 35 acres of barren land are now planted and growing grasses and trees. Amerikohl will remove another 500,000 tons of refuse over the next 5 years; thereby, cleaning up another 60 acres.

As part of the surface mining operation, Amerikohl encountered the mine discharge from the Ernest #1 deep mine, relocated the discharge point and constructed a passive treatment system to improve the quality of McKee Run. This effort cleaned up 4400 feet of stream, and at no cost to the taxpayer.

The Ernest Borough water system utilizes a 100 year old reservoir built in McKee Run. The reservoir had virtually no storage capacity due to siltation over the years. Amerikohl constructed a new, 1.8 million gallon reservoir for the borough and replaced 1600 feet of old cast iron water main pipe. In addition, Amerikohl purchased two acres of property for the Ernest Bible Church and constructed a new parking for the congregation. These projects were done at no cost to the residents.