Over the last several weeks, we've communicated about the fate of Braner
Cemetery in Sullivan Co., IN after Black Beauty Coal filed a Petition to
Disinter the burial grounds.
Tonight we received spectacular news via the Sullivan Daily News. Black
Beauty is WITHDRAWING its Petition to Disinter. In my opinion, this wholly
unexpected reversal was largely the result of the impact of the letters of
objection many of you sent to the Sullivan Superior Court.
The following is excerpted from the front page of the 5/31/2000 Sullivan Daily
Times:
"Coal Mine to Go Around Cemetery - Black Beauty Axes Plans to Relocate Braner
Cemetery"
Black Beauty Coal today cited "rightful respect" in "scratching its
plans" to
relocate Braner Cemetery in Jackson Township (Sullivan Co., Indiana),
according to company officials.
Company officials say they "took negative reactions into account" in
withdrawing the company's Petition to Disinter.
The case file in Sullivan Superior Court includes "objections from purported
family members and others from as far away as New Mexico on legal and moral
grounds."
A Black Beauty Coal official said, "Public opposition, coupled with input from
Sullivan Co. Commissioner Jim Pirtle, and Paul Ehret of the Indiana DNR, led
Black Beauty Coal to reconsider its plans for the cemetery."
Black Beauty Coal has directed its local legal counsel to withdraw its
Petition.
The company, which owns the property on which the cemetery is located, intends
to file deed restrictions limiting the land's use to cemetery only. The
company will maintain a 100-foot buffer along all sides of the cemetery.
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More information as it becomes available will be posted to the INPCRP website
at:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~inpcrp
THANK YOU for caring enough to get involved in saving Braner Cemetery!!!
Lois Mauk