The fact is…
Posted on December 26, 2009 | By Denny Tyler | 1 Comment
This excerpt from an editorial in the Huntington Dispatch –
Extremes won’t carry the day in coal fight
The fact is that coal is an important resource, fueling nearly half of the nation’s electricity. The fact is that mountaintop removal mining does change the contour of the land and poses threats to residents in the vicinity. Both factors should be taken into account as policymakers weigh the issue.
The fact is not all of the coal fueling the nation’s electricity comes from mountaintop removal. The fact is mountaintop removal is not the only form of coal mining. The fact is to say we should weigh the issue of coal-fired electricity versus threats to residents via mountaintop removal is totally asinine.There is no doubt the author of that article is not one of the threatened residents.
———
Something I really get tired of hearing is when friends of coal turn the battle against mountaintop removal into a battle for the survival of coal which happens every single time. It would only be true if mountaintop removal were the only form of coal mining conducted in the coalfields. It is not, that is a fact.
The basis for many arguments, mine included, is that mountaintop removal is way to destructive and simply not necessary.
We have been doing underground mining since the beginning of coal mining. Why do we need mountaintop removal now? Because it is the only way to get the thin seams near the top? Why do we need the thin seams near the top? To keep up with demand? If we are going to make this an argument about coal and electricity for this nation then instead of blowing up the mountains why don’t we take some of the coal we are shipping abroad and reroute that to our needs? You simply cannot say we have to do mountaintop removal to feed our growing energy demand when we ship to and continue to look for markets overseas. This is the point where patriotism and energy security for the nation leaves the fight against mountaintop removal and greed combined with corporate profits an political corruption shows up. I simply can’t understand why more folks don’t see it.
I have no doubt the tons of coal we are shipping to overseas markets outweighs the tons of coal from mountaintop removal used for electrical generation in this country. The only way to turn this fight against mountaintop removal into a fight against coal for energy would be to eliminate shipping coal abroad.
The fact is mountaintop removal is not necessary. The fact is this is not a battle against coal for electricity, it is a battle for our home against corporate and political interests. It is nothing more complicated than that and that’s a fact.
Our remnants of wilderness will yield bigger values to the nation’s character and health than they will to its pocketbook, and to destroy them will be to admit that the latter are the only values that interest us. – Aldo Leopold
Comments
One Response to “The fact is…”
Leave a Reply
Search This Site
Archives
You Can Help…
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
Featured Posts
Popular Posts
Endmtr.com Forum
- Mountaintop removal in Tennessee December 18, 2011
- Michigan coal-fired plants to close; wind and air to step up December 17, 2011
- Energy Company Abandons Plan For Georgia Coal Plant December 17, 2011
- GOP’s Coal Poison Pill Risks White House Veto Of Payroll Tax Cut Bill December 17, 2011
- New study documents cumulative impact of mountaintop mining December 12, 2011
The Latest Google News – MTR & Climate Change
- INFLUENCE GAME: Big donors and what they want - Fox News - 03 Feb 12
- If We Can Stop the Keystone Pipeline, We Can Stop Mountaintop Removal. Right? - Huffington Post - 02 Feb 12
- Asheville Green Drinks initiative promotes sustainability, green movement - The Blue Banner - 01 Feb 12
- Top Climate Scientist on Need for Clean Energy Action - CleanTechnica - 30 Jan 12
- Environmental groups ask Kentucky lawmakers to consider coal's health impact - Sacramento Bee - 25 Jan 12
Information / Hotline
Contributing Authors – Past & Present
Gallery
EPA
Admin
Visitors Online
- 04 visitor(s) online
- powered by WassUp
December 26th, 2009 @ 12:06 pm
AMEN Denny – you hit the nail on the head. When the pro cal thugs start to tell their lies it only makes them look worse. The administration in Washington DC knows just what you stated so when the coal companies use mindless workers and spout lies, it helps us.