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Preferred Citation

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Henry Rauch, Geology Professor, West Virginia Surface Mine Board, Case Files, A&M 4141, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Biographical / Historical

Henry Rauch earned his Ph.D. degree in geochemistry-hydrogeology from Pennsylvania State University and has worked as a professor of geology at West Virginia University (WVU) during 1970 - 2015. He served as assistant professor during 1970 - 1976, as associate professor with tenure during 1976 - 1984, and as full professor with tenure during 1984 - 2015. He retired in May 2015 after a 45 year career and has been a professor emeritus since then. His area of expertise is hydrogeology.

Rauch had taught 10 different geology courses and portions of two other geology courses, at the freshman to graduate levels, in wide ranging geology subjects, and had advised research for ~70 geology graduate students and 6 undergraduate geology students at WVU.

Rauch had undertaken many research and consulting projects while at WVU, including 88 unshared portions of directly funded projects for ~$4,250,000, plus many other unfunded projects. He published, as senior author or coauthor, 58 research papers, and authored or coauthored 125 professional presentations before professional science groups with published abstracts.

Rauch has provided service functions to WVU, the State of West Virginia, and to the geological profession. These functions include service on numerous committees and boards, organization of WVU science conferences, and teaching off-campus courses. His primary service functions have been as a member, appointed by several governors of West Virginia, to three state regulatory appeals boards: the Reclamation Board of Review (1978-1984; 1990-1993), the Surface Mine Board (1994-2015) (which replaced the Reclamation Board of Review), and the Quarry Board (2000-2015). These boards represent a judicial function whereby citizens or mining companies may appeal decisions related to mining permits made by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.

Rauch has received several professional awards, including faculty promotions in rank ultimately to full professor and professor emeritus, professional society awards, three best geology teacher awards, two best professional paper awards, and one award for distinguished long service as the WVU student caving club's faculty advisor.

(Historical note provided by Professor Henry Rauch.)

Scope and Contents

Records documenting the activity of Henry Rauch as a member of the Reclamation Board of Review (1978-1984; 1990-1993) and of the Surface Mine Board (1994-2015) in the state of West Virginia. These boards represent a judicial function whereby citizens or mining companies may appeal decisions related to mining permits made by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.

The majority of the files regard coal mining, including 1. cases where a company doesn't get a permit and appeals, and 2. cases where a company gets a permit, and there is a citizens' complaint or appeal. These files document mountain top removal mining from the beginning (except during the time he was not on the board).

Henry Rauch was a professor of geology at West Virginia University from 1970-2015. His area of expertise was hydrology. (See biographical/historical note for additional information regarding Rauch.)

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Coal mines and mining
• Mountaintop removal mining -- West Virginia
• Rauch, Henry William