Rich and Karen Lucas of Sparta Road wanted to know more about the expansion of Enlow Fork Mine in Southwestern Pennsylvania and how it would affect not only their property but also their way of life.

The Morris Township, Washington County, couple, who live within 1,000 feet of property on which CONSOL Energy plans to build a temporary portal as part of the mine expansion, attended the company's open house Wednesday at Nineveh Community Center to learn more about the project.

The Lucases wanted to know how mining would affect their spring and what subsidence might do to their home. They also wanted to know what impact the temporary portal on Dry Run Road would have on their way of life.

"Right now, it's peaceful out there," Rich Lucas said. "That's why we live out there." The couple were concerned their peace might be disrupted by increased traffic on their road, by the noise from mine fans and the glare from lights at the new portal.

"It's going to be a change," he said. "That's the big thing."

The open house, held by CONSOL voluntarily and not as a requirement of obtaining mining permits, gave property owners a chance to question company officials about the project, said Joe Cerenzia, CONSOL's manager of public relations.

Similar meetings had been held earlier with property owners who will be directly affected by the surface operations, he said.

Maps on display at the center showed a property owner where his land was in relation to the area to be mined. Those attending could learn if and when they might be undermined, what they might expect, as well as procedures the company has in place to deal with property owners in regard to subsidence and water loss.

The company's plans call for adding 14,000 acres of coal to the mine's coal mining activity permit. Of that, 6,697 acres are included in the project's initial development permit.

The area that will be mined is primarily east of the mine's existing operations. The coal is in Morris Township, Washington County, and Morris and Washington townships, Greene County.

The company now is planning two surface operations as part of the expansion, both in Morris Township, Washington County. They include the temporary portal on Dry Run Road and a much larger operation on Archer Run Road.

The Archer Run Road property is about 1,300 acres and will include the company's "Prosperity Portal," bath houses, storage yard, a slope, preparation plant, coal silos, conveyors and coal loading facility. It also includes three coal refuse disposal areas.

Coal will be loaded into railroad cars at a rail loop at the site. A railroad spur also will be extended from an existing rail line south of the property.

The route the line will follow to connect to the existing line was not indicated on the maps and will be decided by Norfolk Southern, Cerenzia said. A Norfolk Southern spokesman earlier declined to comment on the line.

The company's maps also showed another block of coal being permitted as a separate project. It includes 7,050 acres north of the existing permitted area in Morris and a portion of South Franklin Township.

The Lucases said they found the open house informative. Company officials had explained generally what could happen to their spring as well as to their 18-year-old house after their property is undermined.

The company is required by law to repair any damage caused by subsidence and restore or replace any lost water supply. Even knowing that, a person still has concerns, the Lucases said.

"You try to understand what is going on," Rich Lucas said. "But deep down inside, you're worried," he said.

Van Loughman of Sycamore, who also attended the open house, said he was relieved to learn that his house probably wouldn't be undermined for about 15 years. He had thought it might be sooner.

"I'm somewhat worried. It would be foolish not to be," Loughman said, noting his house is more than 100 years old. He said he also understood, however, "it's inevitable; it's going to happen."

The company hopes to begin construction at the surface operations next year and be ready to begin mining coal in 2010. The project is contingent on approval of all permits and the company's ability to find a market for the coal, Cerenzia said.

The project represents a $500 million investment by the company. The expansion is expected to create about 400 mining jobs and extend the mine's life by 25 to 30 years.