The Department of Environmental Protection recently investigated two separate incidents which took place the Lehigh Anthracite Coal Mine in the Panther Valley.

A rock slide in early March created a large visible crack in the mountain. And in November, two rocks from blasting on the site landed in residents’ yards about a half-mile away.

The blasting incident occurred in November. It came up recently at a Coaldale Borough Council meeting when Councilman Ken Hankey Jr. expressed concerns about rocks flying into the yards of Coaldale residents.

“We had two rocks come into town,” Hankey said.

One of the rocks weighed about 240 pounds and landed in the yard of a home on Ruddle Street, about a half-mile from where the blasting took place, Hankey said.

There were no reported injuries.

The Department of Environmental Protection confirmed that they investigated the incident. Blasting at the site was temporarily ceased, but resumed after DEP received a corrective action plan.

During borough council’s April meeting, Hankey asked whether the borough had received a copy of the corrective action plan.

Council members encouraged Hankey to contact Lehigh Anthracite for a copy of the report.

Council member Claire Remington said she has been unable to provide answers for residents who ask about the rocks.

“A lot of people are asking questions, and I don’t know,” Remington said.

Since the meeting, Hankey said that the mine has offered to meet with members of borough council to discuss their concerns or address a future meeting.

The rock slide was discovered March 2, according to DEP. The mining company contacted the agency, which conducted an investigation that day. There were no injuries reported.

Following the investigation, the area around the slide has been blocked off.

Mining can’t resume in the area of the slide until Lehigh Anthracite submits a “highwall remediation plan” for the site, according to a DEP spokesperson.

The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration is also investigating the rock slide.

John Hadesty, director of safety for Lehigh Anthracite, reached on Monday, said that his schedule prevented him from answering questions about the incidents. However he said that such rock slides are not uncommon, and the mine has notified the proper authorities.

“It was a bottom rock fall that happens as part of mining, the way that seams are in the anthracite,” Hadesty said.