Pinnacle Mining Company has agreed to plug the water wells on a road in Wyoming County, where the alleged buildup of methane gas caused an explosion.
Following a hearing held last month in federal court, Pinnacle agreed to pay for the wells to be plugged and to monitor the Woosley Road area in Pineville for methane gas.
James and Rose Surratt, who own two properties on Woosley Road, along with other residents and a small business owner, filed emergency motions asking that the company be required to take immediate action after an explosion at one of the Surratts' homes.
The company operates an underground longwall mine that runs, in part, underneath Woosley Road.
After turning on the washing machine at the Surratts' home in November, "methane gas exploded causing serious damages to the interior and exterior of the home," the emergency motion stated. The home relies on well water, which is known to be a conduit of methane gas from mining activity.
The Surratts and other families that live in the area and also have active wells had filed a lawsuit a week before the explosion alleging the company had caused damage to their properties.
An environmental engineer inspected the home the day after the explosion and concluded methane gas that had been detected under the home by firefighters after the explosion was coming from Pinnacle's operation below the house, the Surratts' motion stated. That's what allegedly caused the blast.
Pinnacle had the emergency motion and the lawsuit moved to federal court. It was originally filed in Wyoming County Circuit Court.
U.S. District Court Judge Irene Berger held a hearing on Dec. 1 and 2 on the emergency motion.
She gave both sides a long period during the hearing to try to come to an agreement.
In turn, Pinnacle has agreed to pay an agreed- upon contractor to plug the wells.
The company will also continue to monitor for methane gas and provide reports on methane detection to the state Department of Environmental Protection and to Roger Decanio, of the Masters Law Firm, who represents the Surratts.
Decanio filed a motion Dec. 14 to withdraw the request for emergency relief based on the agreement. Berger approved the motion.
The lawsuit, which has also been assigned to Berger, is still pending.
Reach Kate White at kate.white@wvgazette.com, 304-348-1723 or follow @KateLWhite on Twitter.