Appalachia

Appalachian Voices
Obama pulls the plug on mountaintop removal study
Posted by Thom Kay
July 28, 2014

There are over 20 peer-reviewed scientific studies demonstrating a link between mountaintop removal coal mining in Appalachia and severe health impacts. Dozens of researchers have found correlations between proximity to mountaintop removal mines and elevated rates of cancer, birth defects, and respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.

For those of you paying attention to the issue, none of this is news.

What should have been news was a groundbreaking study from the U.S. Geological Survey showing a causal link between mountaintop removal mining activities and specific types of air pollution which are causing some of these health problems. USGS researchers had been working on collecting data for the past two years, and according to USGS chemist Bill Orem, the “data is pretty startling.” According to Orem, the data is “compelling enough that a more targeted health study needs to be conducted in these areas.”

But the Obama administration pulled the plug on the research, and did so very quietly, redirecting funding to other work. The Obama administration had an opportunity to do something big to end mountaintop removal, but stopped short....

MORE at http://appvoices.org/2014/07/28/obama-pulls-the-plug-on-mountaintop-removal-study/