Running head: MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL MINING

The process used in Mountaintop Removal Mining begins with deforesting the land; the timber is then sold or burned. Once the land is cleared miners use explosives to blast away up to 400 feet of the mountain vertically. During blasting, the explosion sometimes causes fly rock (mountainjusticesummer.org , 2/27/2011 MJ Newsletter and fact sheets), this is boulders or rock that come down the mountain slope endangering homes and lives of residents. It is estimated that the blasting process uses an estimated 2500 tons of explosives daily, equivalent to the bomb strength of the Hiroshima atomic bomb on a weekly basis. The overburden/spoil (soil and rock) of the mountain, mountain ridge or hill is then placed in a valley next to the mining area. This is known as valley fill and it is estimate that over 2000 miles of fresh water streams have been covered by mining spoil.

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Diagram of the process compliments of; Source: Mountainjustice.org 2/27/11 p.2

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Contrasting photos of a traditional mountain stream (at left) and a mountain stream diverted into a culvert and buried by mining debris (at right) in a process known as a valley fill.

sources: appvoices.org/end-mountaintop-removal/ecology (conservationreports.com)

Once cleared of rock and soil a dragline digs into the rock to expose the coal. These machines weigh in at 8 million pounds and are 20 stories high. They make it possible for coal operations to hire fewer men. Even a small crew can take apart the mountain in less than a year working round the clock. Once exposed huge loaders scoop up layers of coal then deposit more of the spoil into valleys. Underground mining has its own impacts on the environment, it differs from mountaintop removal however by leaving surface of the mountain, leaving forestry, soil, and wildlife habitat relatively undisturbed. Streams are not covered over, and there is less chance of land or rock slides. With undisturbed soil the chance of dangerous chemicals being released into the air and water supplies are significantly reduced. Issues remain in MTR concerning the effects of airborne particulate, run off from manmade ponds (aka. Slurry ponds) used to wash the coal, and spillover from the ponds that hold as much as 306 million gallons or more of contaminated water seeping into ground water, creeks, and streams.

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Mountaintop Removal Rawl, WV. Source; Appalachian Voices www.iLoveMountains.org

Underground Mining Shaft Source: www.shorpy.com

When explosives are used in mountaintop mining it generates large amounts of waste that bury the streams, and significantly affects the water quality. There is damage to ecosystems, the water is unfit for drinking, fishing, or swimming. In a congressional report (30 U.S.C. 1201, (c) section 101) this disturbance of land burdens, negatively affects commerce and the population of those areas by destroying or lowering the use of the land for other purposes. This would be due to erosion, landslides, and flash flooding. Below is a picture of the destruction of private property from flooding caused from dangerous coal slurry ponds built in the headwaters of a water-shed.

(Courtesy of Mountain Justice.com 2011, Mingo County Flood 2004)

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In 2009, Breathitt County, Kentucky; two manmade earthen coal washes (sludge ponds) broke or overflowed. Vast swaths of current surface mining operations and poor reclamation of abandoned mining land by at least four coal companies in Breathitt and Knot counties created more runoff than the creeks and Kentucky River could handle. The Breathitt county flood was a personal experience for me. I lost my home and many possessions as did hundreds of my neighbors. These ponds are laden a witchs brew of water with carcinogenic chemicals used in washing the coal, and coal fines( small particles)with compounds naturally found in coal such as arsenic, and mercury. In areas where mining operations inject coal slurry into the ground it contaminates the drinking water in wells, as well as the soil, and natural waterways. Below the pictures of a coal wash sludge pond in West Virginia, the earthen sides were breached spilling contaminated water into Coldwater Creek. As you can see in the photos the damage is irreversible. In Buffalo Creek West Virginia, February 26, 1972 one of these sludge ponds broke during heavy rain. A wall of black water -filled the valley below with over 132 million gallons of wastewater. 125 people were killed, 1100 injured and 4000 were left homeless. Over 1000 cars and trucks were destroyed and the disaster did 50 million dollars in damage. The coal company called it an act of God. (Mountainjusticesummer.org/sleps.phd 2/27/11) Pittston Coal Company ignored the warnings that the dam was dangerous and did nothing.

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Martin County Ky. Slurry

Slurry Recovery

Slurry Recovery

Spill into Coldwater Creek; Image Source; http://www.jackspadaro.com/professional_services.html.

The EPA released their final guidance on Appalachian surface mining, designed to ensure more consistent, effective, and timely review of surface coal mining permits under the Clean Water Act and other statutes. (EPA Newsroom, 2011 Release, 7/21/2011, EPA Issues Final Guidance to Protect Water Quality in Appalachia) Wildlife habitats have been destroyed in areas of MTR. The removal of immense amounts of neighboring forests has ruined key nesting habitat for neo-tropical bird populations in mining areas and throughout the northeastern U.S. The central Appalachian region where this mining occurs includes southwest Virginia, West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, Ohio, and northeastern Tennessee; it is considered the heart of one of the most diverse regions in the U.S. This area of temperate deciduous forest has some of the most diverse collections of plants and animals. Species of birds that depend on mature forest habitats which are abundant in Appalachia. Kentucky Warblers, wood thrush, and many other species are all impacted by mountain removal mining. The mixed hardwood cove forests of this region and the shaded streams are necessary to the survival of these species, their habitat is rapidly vanishing. Some of the older species of plant life have been in these forests for thousands of years and once

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removed they are gone forever. Trees such as black walnut, white oak, Plants such as Golden Seal and Ginseng are lost in the vast areas of mines. The potential hazard from coal dust comes from both mining and processing. When you crush or pulverize coal it releases particulates in the air. Impacts to humans include cardiovascular, lung disease, and possibly cancer. This is determined by observation studies of general population in mining communities. Studies that were done as recently as 2011 also showed increased cardiovascular disease, and more frequent birth defects. Adults hospitalized for chronic pulmonary problems and hypertension, have increased and are believed to be directly related to contact with streams and exposure to airborne toxins and dust. A 2011 study on birth defects showed that there are higher birth defects, such as circulatory/respiratory, musculoskeletal, central nervous system, gastrointestinal, and urogenital in mining areas when compared to the non-mining communities. Because of this latest study suggests that the air and water contamination may be cumulative. Another 2011 study showed reports of cancer were twice as high in the mining environment and the study showed it could not be explained by smoking, age, sex, occupational exposure, or family history of cancer. The Congress set regulations governing the reclamation of mined land on August 3, 1977. Small revisions have been made since that time by sitting presidents however the Congress in there guidelines gave what they called reasonable regulation of surface mining operations by the States and by the Federal Government in accordance with the requirements of this Act is an appropriate and necessary means to minimize so far as practicable the adverse social, economic, and environmental effects of such mining operations (Section 101, paragraph e, Congressional Findings report, 30 U.S.C. 1201). Although the Environmental Protection Agency works with the mining companies, gives them guidelines to follow, and mitigates with them on problems reported to them they have no legal

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way to enforce anything concerning the mining process or the reclamation of the land. When reclamation is deemed by the mining company to be better left as a flat, seeded area that would take years to grow grass if at all in the acidic soil they apply and are given a waiver that deems the area commercial, suitable for business. The pictures below are considered as reclaimed land suitable for use, you decide.

Source; Webecoist.montastic.com

Source; EPA.gov

Source; Ohvec.Org

For a more typical picture of the reclaiming of land there is a film that PBS aired called Razing Appalachia it will dispel any of the myths that mining companies return the mountainsides to their original beauty. In Kentucky the number of mining jobs fell with the introduction of mountaintop removal mining from 47,190 to 17,959, a 60% decrease from 1990-1997. State level taxes have been lost because of the job loss as well. The mining industry brought the state 528 million dollars in

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2006 through taxes, direct and indirect employment. For the privilege of hosting the coal industry it cost the state 648 million dollars and that did not include the costs of dealing with the poisoning of rivers from mining slurry, or from damage to individual properties, or the cost of healthcare for the population sickened by side effects of mountaintop removal.

Conclusion Coal is an inexpensive way to generate electricity. Researching the process of mountaintop removal to get to that coal we have seen a cost far greater than the price of the electricity. The evidence of the impact on health, water, wildlife, and deciduous forests reach much farther than just mining areas. I live in Kentucky, two mountaintop removal operations less than four miles from my home. Troublesome Creek is below several mining operations in two counties, across the road it runs past my house. Polluted from the mining, this creek feeds the Kentucky River moves on to the Ohio River, and last but much larger empties into the Mississippi River. Contaminates are carried through the water system, it affects plant life, fish, our drinking water, and soil. The damage of mountaintop mining affects all of us. Are we going to follow the bureaucrats and mine owners way of dealing with this and ignore it? Can we afford to let the next generation worry about it?