State Notice, Bluestone Coal to Begin Blasting Near Squire

State regulators posted a public notice on December 10, 2025 announcing that Bluestone Coal Corporation plans blasting operations in the Big Creek district of McDowell County, about 2.6 miles southeast of Squire. The company listed in the notice is Bluestone Coal Corporation, 302 S Jefferson St., Roanoke VA, phone 540 492 4080. The notice sets an operational schedule and detailed safety procedures intended to protect the public and the environment.

Blasting will be allowed Monday through Saturday from sunrise to sunset. No blasting will take place on Sundays. Before any detonation crews will use an audible three minute warning made up of three short blasts of five seconds each with five seconds between blasts. After the blast a single long signal of approximately 20 seconds will indicate the all clear. The notice states blasting methods must prevent adverse impacts to the public and the environment and that unscheduled blasts will occur only for emergency or safety reasons. It also notes all activity will comply with state and federal laws and DEP approvals.

For residents near the Big Creek district the practical implications are noise, vibration and temporary restrictions on access to blast areas. The notice says access to blast areas will be safeguarded during operations. Property owners concerned about vibration effects or road access should document dates and times and use the company contact information provided in the notice for immediate questions. For more detailed information the notice references an online listing and the Bluefield Daily Telegraph marketplace posting.

This notice arrives in a county where mining activity remains a visible part of the local economy and where community concerns about safety and property impacts are common when blasting resumes. The prescribed warning signals and limits on days and hours are intended to give residents advance notice and predictable windows for activity. Local emergency responders and county officials typically monitor approved blasting to ensure compliance with permits and to respond quickly to any reported problems. Residents with pressing concerns should contact Bluestone Coal Corporation at the phone number listed or consult the public notice online for additional contact points and procedural details.