Blowing Up Mountains Bad for Environment and Communities

Most of us can recall the American folk song “She’ll be comin’ ’round the mountain when she comes.”

The “she” in the song refers to Mary Harris “Mother “ Jones — at least in its 1927 interpretation. Jones traveled through Appalachia to promote the formation of labor unions among coal miners.

And just as music was used as a tool for change in the early years of the 20th century, it has recently been used in the fight to abolish the mountaintop removal (MTR) of coal…

After all, how can anyone “come ’round the mountain” if there isn’t a mountain?

Earlier this month, country music star Big Kenny of the duo Big & Rich performed at a rally on Capitol Hill against MTR coal mining.

The performance was part of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Music Saves Mountains campaign, an effort that unites singers and musicians to fight for the mountains where “America music was born and which so many songs celebrate.”

Mountaintop mining — also referred to as strip mining on steroids — involves packing the summit of a mountain with explosives and blowing it skyward, uncovering the valuable coal seams underneath.

The debris from these explosions is then pushed down the mountainside and dumped in a process called a valley fill or a hollow fill, which destroys surrounding ecosystems.

“With the future of America’s oldest mountains at stake, it is time we all say ’Enough!’ and tell President Obama and Congress to stop this from happening once and for all,” said Big Kenny.

Big Kenny’s rally performance was merely a precursor to the Appalachia Rising rally that occurred on Monday this week.

The largest national protest to end MTR coal mining began with a march from Freedom Plaza and a rally at Lafayette Park, and ended with a sit-in in front of the White House and the arrest of over 100 people.

Among those arrested for nonviolent civil disobedience were Appalachian residents, retired coal miners, climate scientist James Hansen, and faith leaders.

Four people were also arrested at a PNC bank, as PNC is the lead U.S. financier of MTR.

Appalachia Rising is not an anti-coal mining movement; rather, a collection of individuals and organizations untied against mountaintop removal.

Less than 7% of coal mined in the United States comes from MTR, and yet it causes irreparable damage to the environment and surrounding communities.

Approximately 500 mountains and 2,000 miles of streams have already been lost due to this devastating mining practice.

And according to a 2009 report, it is estimated that coal mining costs Appalachia five times more in premature deaths than it provides the region in jobs, taxes, and other economic benefits.

In response to the opposition, the EPA has developed tougher guidelines for permitting MTR, but Appalachia Rising feels this is not enough. They group is calling on the president to abolish the practice altogether.

“We know, and the Obama Administration has said, that mountaintop removal mining is bad for human health and the environment,” said Jane Branham of the Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards in Virginia.

“The issue here is whether President Obama will follow the science and do something about it now!”

Until next time,

Angela Guss

Stock Investing Guide

Start Trading Like a Profesional