site.btaTeva Borough Residents Petition Pernik over Brown Coal Mining Plan

More than 1,200 residents of Pernik’s Teva borough have petitioned the municipality against a plan by a mining company to mine brown coal at the nearby Stara Teva site, the local administration said on Tuesday. The concession area lies close to the boroughs of Rudnichar, Dimova Mahala and Teva.

Mayor Stanislav Vladimirov has sent a formal objection to the Sofia Regional Environment and Water Inspectorate, warning that the project poses serious environmental and health risks. The municipality said it had received many similar submissions opposing the investment proposal.

Vladimirov’s letter argues that new mining would raise fine-particulate pollution, undermining Pernik’s forthcoming programme to replace household heating appliances with cleaner alternatives. The mayor also warns of potential landslides, extra noise and cumulative pollution from existing sources such as the Sedmi Septemvri and Kudin Dol slag heaps and the Republic thermal power plant.