Comments due by September 24, 2025!
In addition to the PA Department of Environmental Protection’s permitting process, the proposed Rustic Ridge #2 mine must undergo a review with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
LCT’s Rustic Ridge #2 is a proposed 2300-acre coal mining facility in Mount Pleasant and Donegal Townships. Application materials reveal plans to affect 1,885 feet of streams in the headwaters of Jacobs Creek, a major tributary in the Laurel Highlands.
Although the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently held a public hearing for state-level permits, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently conducting a separate, federal review of certain aspects of the proposed Rustic Ridge #2 coal mine. This means there’s a new and very important opportunity for public involvement.
LCT Energy’s plan would create a major new mining facility at the geographic gateway to the Laurel Highlands, in Mount Pleasant and Donegal Townships near Acme, PA. The project includes a 64.6-acre surface site as the entry point for a 2,300-acre underground mine, and according to the company’s own application, would permanently fill 0.57 acres of wetlands and affect 1,885 feet of streams that flow into Jacobs Creek—a key waterway in the region.
Because of these potential impacts, the Army Corps is now reviewing the project under the Clean Water Act. If you have concerns about impacts to ground and surface water, subsidence, wildlife habitat, property values, or any other aspect of the proposed mine, here are a few things you can do to help out:
Request a Public Hearing
Public hearings allow regular people to present their views, evidence, and experience. At these hearings, a verbatim transcript will be created for the official record. Hearings must be noticed by at least 30 days, and once held, an additional 10 days must be provided to allow for written comments. At minimum, requesting a public hearing can help to provide valuable time for community members to get up-to-speed on information and to prepare a comment.
Under federal law, anyone can request a public hearing. You just need to give specific reasons for why it’s needed. Impacts to water resources, wildlife, property values, public health, and recreation are all valid concerns. Army Corps must hold a hearing unless they think the concerns are too small or not important enough, so the more people who request a hearing with real concerns, the harder it is for the Corps to say no.
Request an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
An Environmental Impact Statement is the most detailed environmental study the government does, and one has not been conducted for Rustic Ridge #2 yet. An EIS would analyze the cumulative impacts that Rustic Ridge #2, along with other mining activity in the area, would have. These studies take 1-2 years to complete, allowing experts to gather much more complete information, and they must include an examination of all possible alternatives to the mine as laid out in the permit materials.
An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is the most detailed environmental study the federal government conducts, and the Army Corps has not completed one yet for Rustic Ridge II. An EIS can take one to two years to finish, giving both experts and the public much more time to gather and review complete information about the project. It also requires the agency to study all possible alternatives and provides additional opportunities for community input. Most importantly, an EIS must look at the cumulative impacts of this project together with other mining activity already happening in the area–such as the existing Rustic Ridge #1 mine. Requesting an EIS is a way to ensure a thorough, transparent review of the full range of environmental and community impacts.
Submit a Written Comment
When submitting a written comment, it’s important to share your specific concerns and experiences. The Army Corps must consider a wide range of impacts, including: concerns about water resources and quality, fish and wildlife habitat, flood risks, property values, recreation opportunities, public health and safety, and economic effects. Your personal knowledge—whether it’s about wildlife you’ve seen, past flooding, or how you use the area—can make your comment much stronger. Your firsthand experience matters.
How to Submit
You can submit the aforementioned requests individually or feel free to join our collective outreach via Action Network sign on which will send a pre-written letter to the ACOE.
Click here to support this effort.
Feel free to include a hearing request, an EIS request, and your comment all in the same email or letter. No matter how you reach out, make sure to include the permit number LRP-2023-00028. If you choose to email, a clear subject line containing the permit number and the fact that you are requesting a public hearing, EIS, or both can help make sure your request is considered.
Email: Jeremy.N.Roberts@usace.army.mil
Mail: Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Pittsburgh District, Attention: Jeremy Roberts
1000 Liberty Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4186
Online Portal: https://rrs.usace.army.mil/rrs