On Friday November 12 the department of Environmental Protection (DEP) ordered the mine to stop operations, claiming mining would cause subsidence and damage to feeder springs to Maple Creek.

The ruling has forced High Quality management to lay off 480 employees.

An appeal has been filed by the company with the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board seeking an emergency ruling to overturn the order.

Maple Creek said the DEP order was an unprecedented maneuver that modified the previously approved mining permit in a one-sided manner.

Under the order the mine is allowed to use room and pillar techniques.

The DEP had previously ordered the mine to stop operations in another section of the mine in July, but agreed for the mine to proceed operating after it promised to ease waterway damage by injecting grout into the stream bed.

The mine consequently did this and claimed it worked, but local residents have claimed otherwise.

The High Quality mine produced 2.37 million tons in 2003/04 with an average ton per employee hour of 2.6.