On June 22, CCJ staff, members, supporters, and Ryerson Station State Park visitors gathered at pavilion 2 for the 18th Annual DRYerson Festival and braved the extreme heat wave that occurred throughout the region.
Why “DRYerson?” Ryerson Station State Park used to be home to Duke Lake, an artificial lake created by a dam built in 1960. In 2005, due to structural damages to the dam caused by longwall mining in the area by Consol Energy, Duke Lake was drained, and the park and surrounding communities lost a vital resource. CCJ has been involved in the protection of Ryerson Station State Park for decades, from commenting on the initial permit for mining under the park, to now participating in the Ryerson Task Force meetings to protect the streams within Ryerson and other opportunities within the park.
Here are notes that were given on the 22nd by our Advocacy Director, Ethan Story:
Ethan Story, Advocacy DirectorCCJ continues to engage with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (“DCNR”) to improve Ryerson Station State Park. In the past, we have filed comprehensive Right-to-Know requests seeking documents and communications regarding DCNR’s plans for Ryerson, funding for any improvements, and any necessary stream repair after Consol completed longwall mining at the Bailey Lower East Expansion.
DCNR continues to work towards restoring North Fork Dunkard Fork, which flows through the former lakebed. The goal has been to create a pond for fishing and restore the original contours of North Fork Dunkard Fork, including constructing a multi-use trail for park visitors. Generally speaking, we are excited about these restoration and improvement projects. CCJ also believes that any restoration efforts should protect Polen Run and Kent Run, and the aquatic life that inhabits them.
Polen Run and Kent Run are healthy, diverse streams. As all of you know, CCJ filed four permit appeals related to Consol’s mining at the Bailey Lower East Expansion. We successfully protected the portions of Polen Run and Kent Run that flow through Ryerson Station State Park. As a result of all of your hard work and support, neither Kent nor Polen Run require reconstruction.
We know that several slope analyses were conducted last year within the park. These core drillings came back with results that have caused DCNR to reevaluate the previous plan, the material used, and the placement of the material to prevent slips from happening in the future. The DCNR is drafting up new stream remediation, trail grading, and wetland banking to mitigate the proposed issues in its original analysis. The forecast is to have shovels hit the ground in early spring 2025.
CCJ will continue to participate in the Ryerson Task Force meetings and will certainly keep you all posted on all the pertinent updates.
If you have questions, please talk to one of our staff. Otherwise, be on the lookout for more updates as the process moves forward.
We were thankful for the park rangers who stopped by to talk to community members. They showed a map of future plans for the park and highlighted their upcoming programs, which can be found under events here. The face painting and tie-dye activities were a hit – shout out to Jonni Parson for doing a great job with the face painting like always! Music was enjoyed by all thanks to the talented Dan Baker. We want to also thank Colleen Nelson for contributing artwork for our newest DRYerson T-Shirt.
One of our members, Pam, brought a photograph of Duke Lake. Check out this video by CCJ member Michael Brownlee comparing what it looked like then and now!
Our membership table was busy, thanks to our loyal members who renewed and new members who decided to join our community – welcome! Your commitment to CCJ and continued support of our mission is a driving force for change in our region. A sincere thank you to everyone who contributed, whether with your time, memories, or monetary donations. We greatly appreciate all of you and can’t wait to see you again next year.
