Kimberly group still fighting mining

Published 3:18 pm Tuesday, November 3, 2009

A small but persistent group of citizens is not backing down.

On Thursday, the North Jefferson Community Action League and attorney Scott Morro organized a press conference at the home of Paul McCombs on Bill Jones Road.

The meeting was to announce that the group would appeal a decision by the Alabama Surface Mining Commission (ASMC) to RJR Mining Company, Inc., to mine for coal on Bill Jones Road.

The group chose McCombs’ property for the conference because it borders the site that RJR wants to mine. Organizers wanted the media to see the faces of the people they said would be affected by mining.

“The citizens are not giving up,” said Morro at the meeting. “We’re at our last breathe now, but we’re doing everything we can.”

The Alabama Surface Mining Commission (ASMC) issued the permit to RJR on Oct. 8 allowing the company to mine a 98-acre site, called Majestic Mine No. 2. The permit is for five years.

Read the full article in Wednesday’s edition of the NJN.

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