State lawmakers are asking questions about a sinkhole that opened up south of Knoxville in April. 

 

The Knoxville sinkhole occurred in an area where it was initially thought to be an underground coal mine, but it was determined to be a collapsed part of a limestone mine about 200 feet deep. Marion County Lobbyist Kelley Meyers spoke at the Iowa Legislature’s Administrative Rules Review Committee meeting on July 11th, saying the sinkhole is not being addressed fast enough. Meyers states that “the question is, are there sufficient laws to deal with this situation?” 

 

It is still being determined which agency needs to address the sinkhole. Iowa Department of Agriculture Mines and Minerals Bureau Chief Vince Sitzmann says that the problem has not been taken care of.   

 

“The problem has not been fixed, the subsidence is still there. We have been providing some technical support with our agency to make sure the mine is reclaimed adequately. It’s not just as simple as pushing some dirt in the hole and walking away.” 

 

The operator of the limestone mine has taken responsibility for the sinkhole.