The shut down order was issued on April 6, and affects the Washington County mine’s room and pillar development work being completed for future longwall panels.

Violation included failing to notify 14 property owners about pending undermining at least six months prior to the undermining, mining areas not shown on its six-month maps and mining under properties without conducting structure and water supply surveys.

“As a result of these infractions, we are ordering High Quality Mine to cease those portions of its operations associated with these infractions and ensure that proper notifications are sent, proper surveying of structures and water supplies is completed in the event of subsidence damage while making sure the company operates only in those areas shown on its six-month mine maps,” said Environmental Protection secretary Kathleen McGinty.

DEP has also ordered Maple to submit maps showing the progress made in the mine on a daily basis for the past year as well as shift reports which also detail daily progress.

The High Quality mine recently completed the 3 East longwall panel. They had not started the next panel, 4 East, because of department concerns regarding streams that would be undermined during the course of that panel.

High Quality, which begun longwall operations last year, replaced the nearby Maple Creek mine.