Chairman PERKINS. Congressman Simon, did you want to say something before we hear from Dr. Mueller?
Mr. SIMON. I would like to enter into the record a letter from the Superintendent of the Zeigler-Royalton Community Unit School District and also a statement by Dr. Remo Castrale, Šuperintendent of the Johnston City School District regarding coal mine subsidence problems.
I will also be submitting some questions to Mr. Stormer and I will then submit his answers also for the record.
Pinpoint Disaster Program as it applies to Zeigler-Royalton
School District #188, Franklin County, Illinois.
The Zeigler-Royalton Community Unit School District #188, Franklin County, Illinois has lost two school buildings due to nine subsid.nce, one in 1962 and one in 1976. In both disasters the United States Government has not been able to build a new school building here. Way?
This school district was informed that under the present Pinpoint Disaster Program, the Federal Government would only provide a loan repayable in five (5) years at 6 5/% interest to construct a new building. This school district cannot afford this type of loan.
The present Pinpoint Disaster Program is not practical for a school district which finds itself in emergency need of a new school building.
I hope that you understand that this prosent Pinpoint
Disaster program is an unacceptable solution to our problem.
The Board of Education and community thought that the U.S.
Government would give this school district a grant to construct
a new school building due to our disster organy nued.
U. S.- Government gives foreign countries foreign aid for various
purposes, but cannot directly help a school district in this
country for legitimate reasons. Why?
I see nothing wrong with Federal Tax Dollars staying in this country for such dis ster construction purposes. Priorities need to be examined and held accountable to we, the people.
George Convor
George Connor, Superintendent
Zeigler-Royalton Community Unit
School District #188
Zeigler, Illinois 62999
"Progress
An Edition Of The Williamson County Observer
Herrin Carterville Johnston City, Illinois, Wednesday, May 11, 1977
Mine Subsidence Problems
Presented By Dr. Castrale
severe damage to property
that is so great that more oft-
en than not buildings and
homes must be completely ab-
andoned. Repairs can be only
temporary at best because
once subsidence starts, no one
knows when it will end. And
once it begins, it usually can-
not be stopped by artificial
methods.
Coal mine subsidence can
also be described as the re-
settling of the ground over a
coal mine resulting in various
degrees of surface movement.
Thomas O. Glover, Liaison Of-
ficer of the Bureau of Mines,
U. S. Department of Interior,
reports that subsidence may
take place in a series of epi-
sodes followed by a period of
time during which the ground
is apparently stable Subsid-
ence is completed when the
mine opening is fully closed,
but remains a possibility as
long as the mine opening re-
mains. Subsidence occurs from
both active as well as aband-
oned mines.
Dr. W. Calhoun Smith, Geo-
logist in Charge of Engineer-
ing Geology and Topographic
Mapping Section, Illinois State
Geological Survey states that
subsidence is total or complete
when the mine opening has
been reduced to zero, and sev-
eral episodes of subsidence
may be required for this point
to be reached. Once an episode
of subsidence has started,
there is no practical way to
stop it in time to prevent da-
mage to the structures at the
surface.
From my own personal point
of view based upon our school
district's and community's ex-
periences with mine subsid-
ence, I must agree with the
statement presented to
House Executive Subcommit-
tee on Mine Subsidence by Dr.
George T. Stubblefield, Jr.
who stated, "I would define it
as sheer hell. There are many
more factors and ramifications
that enter living through this
than in a definition."
As mining operations have expanded and surface struct
ures have increased in value, St. Clair County; Zeigler High
public concern about subsid- School and Leiter School in
ence has increased. Today, the Franklin County and the two
effects of subsidence are being Washington Schools in Johns-
felt by many property owners, ton City, Williamson County.)
especially those in Southern Since 1970, subsidence has af-
Illinois. Homes and other fected scores of structures and
structures resting above or cost millions of dollars..
near land atop underground The problem of mine subsl-
mines have been seriously
damaged by coal mine subsi-
dence. Entire structures have
dropped or shifted as under-
ground mines have collapsed.
Foundations and walls have
cracked and many structures
have been abandoned. Addi
donally, water mains, sew-
age pipes, and gas lines have
broken causing communities
great hardship and economic
Damage for individual home-
owners may amount to several
thousand dollars in reconstruc-
tion costs and even more in
decreased property value. Sub-
sidence is not limited solely to
homeowners for it can strike
commercial businesses and
public structures such
schools. (Harmony-Emge
dence has increased in the
past few years because of the
aging and deterioration of all
abandoned coal mines and be-
cause of the expansion of sub-
urban growth outside of city
limits into undermined areas.
It is imperative that both
State and Federal governmen-
tal agencies become actively
involved in research and pilot
projects evolving around mine
subsidence in an effort to de-
termine:
1. The incidences of mine
subsidence;
2. The causes of mine sub
sidence;
3. The general effects of
mine subsidence;
4. The methods for prevent as Ing or lessening the extent of in property damage or for stabil.
izing land affected by mine
subsidence;
5. Whether the state should
regulate or provide the insur-
ance programs for the proper
ty owner in the area of mine
subsidence.
Illinois legislators such as
Representative Monroe Flynn
and Representative Celeste St
ehl conducted public hearings
in Belleville and Marion, JH-
nois in August, 1976 in an ef-
fort to secure information
from witnesses about problems
caused by mine subsidence.
The main purpose of these
hearings was to investigate
possible legislative action to
deal with the increasing pro-
blem of mine subsidence in
coal mining regions. As a re-
sult of these hearings, legis-
lation has now been proposed
which addresses itself to these
problems of mine subsidence
and to a proposal for making
insurance coverage available
to property owners for dam-
ages resulting from mine sub-
sidence. At the present time,
property owners who recog-
nize and fear potential subs and prudent decisions relative
dence problems cannot obtain to immediate and future build-
insurance to protect agains! ing needs. Furthermore, it is
subsidence because it is simp- essential that these state ag
ly not available. If subsidence encies become actively involy
does occur, property owners, ed in assisting these school
have no recourse or remedy. districts in the decision-mak
No state or federal funds are ing process relative to the id
available to mine subsidence entification of possible school
victims not even special low sites; site selection; and spe
interest loans.
cial structural designs to be
incorporated in the construc
tion of the building. We are
all a part of the mine subsid-
ence problem and therefore we
should all become a part of
the solution of this problem.
As a result of the mine sub-
sidence problems experienced
by our school district and
community, I would recom-
mend that state agencies such
as the Capital Development
Board and the Illinois Office
of Education, become more
aware of mine subsidence and
its implications for school con
struction especially in geogra:
phic areas where subsidence
could present a problem.
School districts located in
these geographic areas should
have available from these and
other agencies technical ser-
vices and funds for planning
assistance grants to aid local
boards of education and school
officials in making responsible
Remember mine subsidence
is an underground disease that
has brought vast amounts of
destruction to cities, towns,
farmlands, rivers and streams
But it is also a story, of the
hope that this disease can be
halted before it does any fur
ther damage; that modern te-
chnology can and will save the
day for those communities af
fected by the ravages of SUB-
SIDENCE.
VENT CF HEALTH. EDUCATION, AND W
Honorable Paul Simon
United States Congress
Washington, D.C.
Thank you for your letter of June 29 submitting questions on pinpoint disaster assistance to be answered for the record.
We have provided answers that one hopes are helpful in the
Wilankster
William L. Stormer
Director, School Assistance in Federally Affected Areas
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