Turkey manure will transform abandoned mine

LYNNVILLE, Ind. -- The transformation of one of the state's largest abandoned coal mines into a wetland is relying on an unusual ingredient -- about 1,200 truckloads of turkey manure.

At least that's what Indiana Division of Reclamation officials are banking on as they roll up their sleeves and plug their noses in southeastern Indiana.

"There's no doubt about it, it will take your breath away," Steve Herbert, the agency's assistant director for restoration, said about the $5.2 million project. "Even a quarter of a mile away, it will bring tears to your eyes."

The turkey manure -- with its high nitrogen content -- will be used to fertilize the wetlands, which are designed as a passive treatment system to purify acidic mine run-off water.

Turkey manure "used to be a liability, but these days it's almost an asset," said Roger Seger, part-owner of Wabash Valley Produce in nearby Dubois.

Seger's store is selling 30,000 tons of it to the state at $15 a ton, said Jeff Bussing, the project manager for state contractor Koester Contracting Corp. of Evansville.

Reclaiming the half-century-old coal processing site about 20 miles north of Evansville is a daunting task. Like many of the remaining 1,400 unclaimed sites in Indiana, the water flowing from it is so acidic that no aquatic life exists.