The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency heard from both sides to determine whether a local mining company should be approved to build a slurry impoundment.

Heavy security surrounded the Carnes Center in Belmont County, both outside and inside because the issue was a passionate one.

"You've heard a lot about how sludge works, if it works right. Unfortunately, it often goes horribly wrong," said a person opposed to the project.

"We just want to work and provide for our families. I think the real endangered species is the working taxpayer," said a coal miner.

The Ohio Valley Coal Company is applying for a slurry impoundment at it's Powhatan No. 6 Mine. If approved by the Ohio EPA, the impoundment would be built in the Casey Run area -- which environmental groups oppose.

"In Nicholas County, West Virginia, we have residents who, when it rains, they cannot sleep at night for fear that their impoundment will break because of sludge," said a concerned citizen.

Even more concerns came from coal miners, who want to keep their jobs and fear if the application isn't approved they'll lose them.

"Most of the miners involved are one income families. [If] they lose their work, they lose their hospitalization. Personally, I was a dislocated worker two times in my life. What will happen? There will be suicides. [Do you] want the names of those who have committed suicide prior to this," questioned former Belmont County Commissioner John Pollock.

The Ohio EPA will review the concerns through the research process and ultimately make the decision.

In a statement NEWS9 received from Murray Energy the Vice President, Business Development and External Affairs, Rob Murray, wrote: "We have been working closely with the state and federal regulatory agencies for 8 years to obtain a permit to build an environmentally safe slurry impoundment in the Casey Run area, and we have made much progress with Ohio EPA, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Army Corps of Engineers over the last 2 years. The Powhatan No. 6 and Century mines, which combined account for 60 percent of the coal mined in Ohio and employ thousands of hard working families in the Ohio Valley area, must build this impoundment facility to assure the long term future of the mines. However, once again, the Obama administration, through its overreaching U.S. EPA, is impeding our ability to protect coal mining jobs and create new ones, and it is threatening to deny our employees their right to work and provide for their families."

Written concerns will be accepted by the Ohio EPA and Army Corp of Engineers through April 9.

Contact: Ohio EPA – DSW Attention: Permits Processing Unit Lazarus Government Center P.O. Box 1049 Columbus, Oh 43216 (614) 728-5299 (fax) patti.smith@epa.state.oh.us

In your comments, please include: The Ohio Valley Coal Company, No. 3 Slurry Impoundment Ohio EPA ID No. 093558