July 12, 2024 |
Photo – Sink hole on CR 297 – Bigfoot99 file photo
Another subsidence causes County Road 297 in Hanna to close again.
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality’s Abandoned Mine Lands has done a lot of work to shore up the collapsing coal mines that undermine the northern Carbon County town of Hanna.
Last May, a section of County Road 297, otherwise known as North Hanna Access Road collapsed into the mines. Abandoned Mine Lands contractors used a special slurry mixture to fill voids beneath the road, making it safe to drive on again.
Yesterday morning, another hole opened on the same road. AML Director Don Newton told Bigfoot99 that even after spending millions of dollars, filling every coal mine below Hanna is impossible.
Newton said representatives from AML will meet with the Hanna town council to discuss how to proceed. In the meantime, County Road 297 will be closed until further notice.
Bigfoot99 called the Hanna town hall yesterday afternoon and discovered that no official meeting between the council and AML has been scheduled. Reporter Matt Copeland was told that representatives from the state are planning to visit the town soon, but no plans have been made to hold a special meeting to discuss the subsidence on County Road 297 yet.
