Appalachian Voices
Science vs. Mining
Posted by Eric Chance
July 30, 2014

It’s no surprise to folks in coal-impacted communities that surface mining is bad for water quality. Orange streams, devoid of life, litter the landscape. But it would seem to most that this is contrary to many environmental laws, like the Clean Water Act and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.

Unfortunately these laws are filled with loopholes, and the agencies tasked with enforcing them are usually underfunded and understaffed.

There have been numerous studies over the years showing surface mining’s detrimental effects on the health of nearby people and streams. There are two recent notable studies from the U.S. Geological Services (USGS) alone. The first was aimed at linking air pollution from mountaintop removal mines to the health problems of nearby residents. Unfortunately, this study will not be completed because it’s funding has been cut. Earlier this month USGS was able to complete and publish a report that showed streams below mountaintop removal mines have two-thirds fewer fish than those in unpolluted streams. The study also found that selenium pollution is linked to declines in fish populations...

...Selenium is a mineral commonly discharged from coal mines that is extremely toxic to aquatic life at very low levels. It is also very expensive to remove from water so there have been a number of efforts by the coal industry to get agencies to make the standards more lax. This newly proposed EPA standard will make citizen enforcement harder, and will make it easier for companies to get away with discharging toxic levels of selenium....

MORE at http://appvoices.org/2014/07/30/science-vs-mining/

ALL LIES

In fact, years ago I posted a thread about Obama's ties to the mining industry and kept a copy in my journal:
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/theHandpuppet/92
As you will see, at the time no one really wanted to hear what I had to say.

In the past week we've heard of the President's admin okaying the use of sonic cannons to explore for oil & gas off the east coast, now this. Obama has done much to further environmental causes but for anyone to believe that money suddenly lost its voice is truly naïve. That's why I get a bit irritated when folks slam Appalachian politics for its corruption by the coal & gas industries -- as if the money of the oil & gas industry hasn't influenced politics around the country. Yeah, nobody's shit stinks but ours. The only difference is that in poor states like Kentucky & West Virginia, coal is THE big money and has been for well over a century. The economy isn't diversified with manufacturing, technology hubs, etc. It's King Coal and all the businesses that supports, particularly well-paying union jobs like those provided by the railroads. Of course, it seems some would be happy if everyone in Appalachia worked at McDonald's, even if the folks behind the counter couldn't afford to eat there themselves.

Let me be clear -- I HATE mountaintop removal mining, fracking, and the sloppy regulation of the deep-mining industries. I HATE the fact that in much of Appalachia the only well-paying jobs are related to those industries and that not even the best Democrats in our region could hope to be elected by rejecting King Coal. Decades of neglect and disinterest in Appalachia have resulted in the pathetic situation we have now. Had there been the national will to do so, America could have reinvested even a fraction of what they gladly took from us and in so doing could have avoided the dismal situation in which we find ourselves. But it was not in the national interest to uplift the labor force in central Appalachia -- in fact, quite the opposite was true. We are now on the precipice of losing what few well-paying, union jobs are left -- jobs provided by coal.

Recent efforts to invest in Appalachia's economic diversity are welcome but too little, too late. It will take decades to replace the livable-wage jobs that are being lost. I mourn for the miners just as surely as I weep for the destruction and poisoning of our mountain homes. I just hope it's not too late for Appalachia.

On September 8-9, 2014
Join us as we defend “Our Water, Our Future”
Posted by Kate Rooth on July 28

Five years ago, the Obama Administration made a promise to take measures to protect the people, waters, and mountains of Appalachia from the dangerous impacts of mountaintop removal mining.

Well, it’s five years later, and we are done waiting for those safeguards. The toll of coal on water and people in Central Appalachia is increasing, punctuated by the recent coal ash, slurry, and coal-processing chemical spills across our region.

This September, Appalachian Voices is teaming up with other groups from the Alliance for Appalachia to bring Appalachians to the capitol to raise the stakes and endure that our communities are heard as agencies consider several key rule-makings pertaining to water protections. Won’t you join us?

Our Water, Our Future
Washington, D.C.
Register now at iLoveMountains.org

“Mountaintop coal mining,” said former EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, “cannot be predicated on the assumption of minimal oversight of its environmental impacts, and its permanent degradation of water quality. Stronger reviews and protections will safeguard the health of local waters, and thousands of acres of watersheds in Appalachia.”

Act now to protect Appalachia’s water. Visit iLoveMountains.org to sign up to attend “Our Water, Our Future.”