On Monday Beech Bottom officials sought help from U.S. Rep. David McKinley, R-Wheeling, in addressing a deteriorating sewer line that has caused sinkholes in the village.

Bob Sadler, the village's vice mayor, said material from an abandoned mine above the village has been washed into the 90-year-old, clay tile stormwater line, causing it to deteriorate.

…

Sadler said a 1997 study proposed rerouting the line but the cost was estimated at $831,000 then.

He said he'd hoped to receive help from the state Department of Environmental Protection and state Office of Abandoned Mine Lands and Reclamation.

McKinley said the federal Abandoned Mine Lands Fund has about $500 million, of which each state may receive a portion.

He said if the village is willing to allocate some funds for the project and secures an engineer to provide a preliminary estimate, it may be successful in securing AML funds.

McKinley also called state Sen. Jack Yost, D-Wellsburg, to ask if he could secure state funds. Yost agreed to meet with Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin to discuss possible funding.

Read the entire article here.