Twenty-five residents and supporters of Benham and Lynch spoke out at a permit conference with the Division of Mine Permits (including Director Allen Luttrell) regarding another proposed mine that could threaten their community.  The proposal is for a 30-acre deep mine in Lynch that includes a conveyor belt across the road, coal truck traffic on the old railroad bed near the raw water source for the community, and several sediment ponds.  

Numerous people spoke out including Lynch Mayor Taylor Hall and Lynch Councilman Stanley Sturgill.  Others present included several women from the Kentucky Heritage Council and friends from SW Virginia with the Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards (SAMS).

"As mayor I can't allow my sewer plant to discharge anything into the creek, so how do we make sure that doesn't happen by the coal company?"  Mayor Hall (pictured standing above) asked.

"I was a police officer for the city for 21 years and transported prisoners across Pine Mountain for 20 years.  The beltline across Hwy 119 often caused windshields on our cruisers to get cracked, and the coal dust was often a problem.  What will you do to make sure that there is a more rapid response than the 20 years it took to get that problem fixed?" he also asked. 

The director granted a 30-day extension to the comment period, answered a number of questions residents had, and agreed to come down for another meeting with residents prior to a decision about the pending permit.