Obviously, I am dead set against mountaintop removal. I do not have a problem with coal mining. I know, for the time being, coal is a viable energy resource. Coal mining is simply a part of WV’s heritage. My father was a coal miner and his father before him and so on. I’ll never forget contract battles where the entire community band together to support the miners in their fight for a fair contract. I’m proud to be the son of a coal miner.
My problem is not and has never been about getting the coal. It is about the destructive nature of mountaintop removal. It is about taking hundreds of feet of mountaintop that it took thousands of years in the making and reducing it to rubble for a four foot seam of coal all in the name of volume, higher production numbers, and an inflated bottom line.
Mountaintop removal is like a cancer on the back of the Appalachia’s. It radiates from a coal seam and spreads outward affecting everything it comes in contact with. Streams, surrounding forests, communities… I’m kind of curious - Is the extra dollar in the pocket of Big Coal worth destroying who we are? And coal miners - wouldn’t it be safe to assume that if we went back to getting the coal the old fashion way, your jobs would be around a tad bit longer?
I hear all the time how West Virginia is poised to be a leader in the energy department. West Virginia is also in a position to force a change that would do nothing but benefit the planet.
I don’t know… I guess I would kind of like seeing my grandkids enjoy the great outdoors as much as I did as a child. West Virginians used to be a proud bunch, especially when we spoke as one. This thing with mountaintop removal reminds me of another battle of brother vs brother. If there is so much opposition and controversy then there is something wrong. We all know something is wrong. What is it keeping proud West Virginians from banding together against this wrong? I know the answer - A light bulb and a job.
—
Adding- I’ve heard and read lately some people justifying MTR by saying that flat land is in short supply in West Virginia. Duh - this is the Mountain State. If you want flat land and that is the basis for your argument - move to Kansas. Problem solved…
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I have to confess I don’t know much about mountain top removal. I’ve learned a lot more from reading your blog. Thanks for spotlighting this issue and bringing it to the attention of more people.
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:15 pm
You echo the sentiments of Dr. Shirley Stewart Burns in her recent book “Bringing Down The Mountains”. Dr. Burns is also a native of the WV coalfields, and the daughter, granddaughter & sister of underground coal miners. She, too, understands the value and importance of coal, to the national, state and local economies; and she understands that MTR is only valuable to the companies and the few men who find employment on these sites. It seems odd to me that two natives of the coalfields hold the exact same views on MTR, especially considering the coal-friendly media who propels the apparent mis-information which states that Coal miners and coal families support MTR.
The long-term economy and future prosperity of these communities diminishes with every ton of coal that is ripped from the mountains. A far better option is to get the coal by underground methods, which employs far more people and whose operations last longer. Underground coal is also more valuable than surface mined coal.
It just seems to me that the only winners in the MTR equation are the companies and the few men who work on them.
The benefits of MTR are far outweighed by the current and future costs exacted upon the people, communities and future economy of the state. What will we have when the coal is gone? Not mountains, Not Coal, No Employment, No potable water. No hope for any form of a tourism industry. What we will have is even more widespread poverty and “valuable” flat land, with absolutely no infrastructure, which to me is as worthless as tits on a boar hog.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Kristine - I think few people outside the danger zone are aware of MTR… another reason it is allowed to continue. It’s a shame and I will fight against it until someone comes to their senses.
Anonymous - thank you I couldn’t have said it better if I thought about it for a week.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:51 pm
btw - anonymous I’ll have to check out the book you refer to.
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I also couldn’t agree more with anonymous.
For another new book out on the topic check out “Coal River” by Michael Shnayerson.
Here are some links for reviews of his book:
http://www.curledup.com/coalrivr.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01.....?ref=books
http://www.amazon.com/review/p.....ewpoints=1
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20169164,00.html
http://www.latimes.com/feature.....-headlines
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Thanks Hillary… between you and anonymous I have lots of reading to do - as do my readers if they so choose. Education is the key.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:58 am
another thought about what will happen when the coal is gone (a recent article predicts the good stuff will be gone in a decade), is that with MTR, they are destroying mountains that are wind viable. wind=renewable . so once they destroy the mountain for a non-renewable resource, they don’t even leave the option of its use to generate electricity in a renewable way.
and i just read an encouraging post on wind energy and a new invention here:
http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd......ind-blows/
they are coming up with better options for energy every day…
January 24th, 2008 at 3:26 am
I sometimes wonder how long it will take to finish off coal. At the rate it’s going it can’t be as long as the after effects are going to last when it’s gone. Been looking for information / predictions.
I checked out the article and that is promising hope you don’t mind me adding the ending to the address. Two drawbacks to blogger. Unable to link in a comment and the pop up comment box I use cuts off long addresses.
which-way-the-wind-blows/
January 24th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
that’s fine, denny. i’ll try to find the article on coal supply predictions for you. i stumbled across it in research a couple of months ago, but didn’t save the link.
January 24th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
And for the sake of those who would argue that “reclaimed” areas would be good places for wind-farms the unfortunate fact is that it is not so (though I did see a presentation at a Public Energy Authority meeting about the use of concentrated solar on reclaimed sites).
At a Public Energy Authority meeting last week attendees heard from a rep of Gamesa Energy (who is the second largest wind turbine manufactures and the fourth largest wind siting company) about the difficulties of siting wind operations on “reclaimed” MTR sites, unstable ground and reduced wind power due to lack of sufficient mountain side slopes (peaks and valleys are significantly reduced when mountaintops are removed and adjacent valleys are filled)are two of the reasons that wind-farms on “mountains” post MTR are not a seriously viable option.
Public Energy Authority meetings are open to the public and happen monthly at the Capitol
January 24th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
I’m glad both of you can discuss the wind turbine issue… unfortunately another area I need educated in.
I do find one thing interesting though, I have read where other areas are fighting the wind turbines because of the effects on the environment which pretty much amounts to a 50′ to 100′ footprint and an eyesore… there may be other issues but as I said I’m not currently aware of them.
My point is though, people don’t won’t them in other areas but MTR is so devastating that a wind turbine would be much preferred. I know it would be my me anyway.
Thanks for discussing alternatives and the lack of.
January 25th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Yeah, it gets my goat when folks fight wind-farms because I would love to have them here - if only we were given that option.
Wouldn’t it be great if the community could vote about how it wanted to generate energy and economic growth with the mountains surrounding them?
Heck, I’ve had folks who actually work in the mines say that they’d prefer a windmills up on Coal River Mountain rather than completely loose the place where they hunt, ramp and ’seng.
Jobs in the energy industry are jobs in the energy industry, as in - they pay well. The difference is jobs constructing, operating and then maintaining wind mills would be forever and help our community grow and become economically stable over the long run. Also with a good wind company operating the site we would still have public access to the mountain as would all of the wild creatures who depend on it too.
Theres never been a black water spill at the site of a windmill, no body has ever been flooded out due to construction of a windmill, and theres never been an ill timed crack in the foundation of someones home because a windmill was in operation.
Ah, sometimes I think the future is actually bright. We’ll get it right eventually (the collective societal “we”), I just hope its in time and we have some mountains left when we do.
January 25th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Hey Hillary you could stay here in good ole WV and get a job cleaning the wind turbine blades with all your “climbing ” experence.
January 25th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Well said Hillary
January 25th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Anonymous - I’m not sure what point you are trying to make and don’t care. If you have something intelligent to add from, either side of the issue, we would love to hear it - otherwise….
If I took your comment the wrong way I apologize, I hope you will forgive me. Non cryptic comments would solve that problem.
January 25th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Denny Glad to see you are not against all forms of mining,as is not the case for Hillary and her group. AS for my previous comment,I think Hillary can explain better. There is nothing to apologize for Denny,you sound reasonable on the issue.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Anonymous… Thank you I’m glad you responded. I like to think I can keep an open mind and consider both sides of this very important issue. Everybody has an opinion.
I know this - if we cannot have an open discussion without pointing fingers at one another - we will never get anywhere. Might as well pick up a book cause were going to be here for awhile.
My opinion is not about putting you or anyone else down - this website is not about that. MTR is an issue and it needs to be discussed… intelligently.
Once again… thanks
January 25th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Adding - to no one in particular. I absolutely hate what MTR is doing to this state both as a state and as a people…. it’s just sad.
January 26th, 2008 at 2:43 am
anonymous left a cryptic comment on my site, too. something about putting me on the homeland security list along with hillary.
i guess if you care about your homeland and want it preserved and used responsibly, that makes you the enemy?
January 26th, 2008 at 3:23 am
Anonymous - once again I’m going to have to apologize. I’m going to have to delete your last comment simply because I get a fair amount of traffic and that’s just not right regardless of your position.
I want people to be able to comment here without being ridiculed - again regardless of their position.
I realize you obviously have a problem with Hillary but this is not the place for it.
I hope you understand.
January 26th, 2008 at 4:04 am
Adding - in case you haven’t noticed I’m the referee here and in my humble opinion it’s just flat not fair to attack someone under the condition of anonymity. I don’t like to see exchanges like that period and doing so anonymously kind of makes it a one sided battle and just that much worse.
I respect your desire to remain anonymous so please respect my blog.