KINDER MORGAN WATCH

Company alerts citizens to fine

http://www.charleston.net/news/2009/feb/02/company_alerts_citizens_fine7...

By Katy Stech (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Monday, February 2, 2009

When Kinder Morgan didn't make clear the details of a $19,000 fine that the coal-terminal operator incurred last year for air-quality violations, it prompted a minor uproar from neighbors and a subsequent apology.

So next time, the company in Charleston's Neck Area knew what it had to do.

Kinder Morgan representatives on Wednesday notified a citizen advisory panel it meets with that it has been hit with another fine — this time for $17,600 — from the state Department of Health and Environmental Control.

DHEC cited the company for excessive levels of sediment in a collection pond that were discovered by company inspectors and reported to the agency.

Arthur Rudolph, Kinder Morgan's regional general manager, said the sediment buildup occurred after workers began spraying more water around the 208-acre site to prevent coal dust from flying off in the wind.

"The increase in water is what caused this," he said.

Rudolph disclosed the fine after offering an apology for not notifying the citizens group of the previous fine, which stemmed from loose coal dust. Some members complained that they learned of that fine from The Post and Courier, not directly from the company.

"I want to hear it from you, not from the paper," panel member Susan Graham said.

Kinder Morgan said it has spent more than $1.5 million on improvements at its Charleston site, helping it secure an expansion permit that would enable the terminal to handle more than 10 million tons of coal each year.

Because of the shaky economy, it's unclear when construction will begin, Rudolph said.