State Notice Confirms Year Long Blasting Near Squire, McDowell County

The Department of Environmental Protection posted a second public notice on December 10, 2025 advising that Bluestone Coal Corporation, under permit S 4003 11, will carry out blasting in the Big Creek district of McDowell County. The notice confirms that the permit period began August 2, 2025 and extends through August 2, 2026. The location cited in the notice is approximately 2.6 miles southeast of Squire.

The notice repeats scheduled operating rules and safety measures. Blasting is authorized Monday through Saturday from sunrise to sunset, with no blasting on Sundays. Operators are required to give advance audible warnings prior to each blast, and a single long blast will be sounded as an all clear after operations. Access will be restricted in and around active blast areas while work is underway. The notice also states that unscheduled blasts are permitted only for emergency or safety reasons, and that blasting must be conducted to avoid adverse impacts on people and the environment.

For residents, the notice means increased noise and activity in the Big Creek area over the coming months, and potential temporary road or property access restrictions near blast sites. Concerns commonly raised in communities near blasting operations include vibration, dust, traffic impacts, and potential effects on wells and structures. The DEP requirement to avoid adverse impacts establishes a regulatory standard, but it depends on monitoring and enforcement to be effective.

The posting represents a formal step in state oversight of blasting operations and provides a public record that residents can use when raising concerns with county officials or state regulators. Residents who live near the specified area should monitor notices, document any observed damage or disturbances, and bring complaints to the Department of Environmental Protection and to county commission offices so that regulators can investigate and enforce permit conditions.

Local elected officials and regulatory agencies are the institutions charged with ensuring that the conditions in the notice are followed. Close attention by neighbors and regular reporting of incidents will be important to make sure public safety and environmental safeguards in McDowell County are upheld during the permitted blasting period.