Somerset gets extra cash from mine

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March 12, 2013

Somerset gets extra cash from mine

Dave Sutor dsutor@tribdem.com The Tribune-Democrat Wed Mar 13, 2013, 12:22 AM EDT

SOMERSET — PBS Coals Inc. dug up $213,000 in “found money” for the Somerset County General Authority in January.

The company deep mined approximately 50,000 tons of coal in just the first month of this year on land it leased from the county in Somerset Township.

On Tuesday, PBS presented the county commissioners with a check for the royalties.

It was money that had not been factored in to the annual general authority budget.

“The way I look at it, it’s found money,” said PBS land manager John Weir.

PBS entered an agreement to mine the coal last year, since the 199-acre tract abutted its existing Kimberly Run Mine.

“Because we were already out there with the Kimberly Run Mine, it only made sense for us to move forward in that particular area,” said PBS director of public relations Hank Parke.

County Solicitor Daniel Rullo added, “If we did not take action, it was probably never going to be able to be mined because nobody was going to go back in and reopen it.”

The money will be used to fund general authority projects throughout the county.

“There are a lot of uses for the money,” said Commissioner John Vatavuk.

PBS officials are optimistic the company can mine enough coal to present the county with at least one more sizable royalty check.

Along with paying the county, PBS made a donation of 10 cents per ton to an Allegany College of Maryland scholarship fund. Any Somerset County resident who attends the school is eligible to apply for the Lucas Popernack Scholarship.

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