Mountaintop Removal
Mountaintop Removal Threatens the Appalachians
The Appalachian Mountains are home to one of the most diverse ecosystems in the temperate region of the world. More than ten thousand species of animals ranging from salamanders to black bears inhabit the mountains, and more than a hundred species of plants blanket the mountainsides and valleys. This Appalachian ecosystem is in danger; a procedure called mountaintop removal threatens to reduce these colossal mountains to rubble in mere seconds. The main goal of mountaintop removal is to uncover anthracite, the purest carbon-rich coal, which is found near the center of these mountains. Coal companies cut down whole forests of trees before placing the explosives around the mountain. Seconds after detonation, the explosives topple the mountain and waste rocks are then dumped into valleys, leveling the landscape. Not only does it destroy the environment, mountaintop removal also devastates the health of the people who live near these sites. Wind turbine technology exists to alleviate the harmful effects of this process, but is being met with whiplash from coal company lobbyists who are trying to protect the companies’ financial gains. Coal sludge accounts for most of the negative effects of mountaintop removal on the health of nearby residents. It is a highly toxic waste that is produced by the washing process. It contains many carcinogenic chemicals and heavy metals such as arsenic, chromium, mercury, and other toxic elements. To contain the sludge, coal companies dam lakes, but frequently, sludge seeps through the soil or breaks through dams to contaminate miles of waterways and wells where people acquire water. One such contaminated well belongs to the small town of Prenter, West Virginia. They once had some of the cleanest tap water in the world, but in the past ten years, their waters have become so polluted that they require trucks to transport clean water to the community (Booth). People who live near
The Appalachian Mountains are home to one of the most diverse ecosystems in the temperate region of the world. More than ten thousand species of animals ranging from salamanders to black bears inhabit the mountains, and more than a hundred species of plants blanket the mountainsides and valleys. This Appalachian ecosystem is in danger; a procedure called mountaintop removal threatens to reduce these colossal mountains to rubble in mere seconds. The main goal of mountaintop removal is to uncover anthracite, the purest carbon-rich coal, which is found near the center of these mountains. Coal companies cut down whole forests of trees before placing the explosives around the mountain. Seconds after detonation, the explosives topple the mountain and waste rocks are then dumped into valleys, leveling the landscape. Not only does it destroy the environment, mountaintop removal also devastates the health of the people who live near these sites. Wind turbine technology exists to alleviate the harmful effects of this process, but is being met with whiplash from coal company lobbyists who are trying to protect the companies’ financial gains. Coal sludge accounts for most of the negative effects of mountaintop removal on the health of nearby residents. It is a highly toxic waste that is produced by the washing process. It contains many carcinogenic chemicals and heavy metals such as arsenic, chromium, mercury, and other toxic elements. To contain the sludge, coal companies dam lakes, but frequently, sludge seeps through the soil or breaks through dams to contaminate miles of waterways and wells where people acquire water. One such contaminated well belongs to the small town of Prenter, West Virginia. They once had some of the cleanest tap water in the world, but in the past ten years, their waters have become so polluted that they require trucks to transport clean water to the community (Booth). People who live near
Cited: Aronsen, Gavin. "Big Coal: Inbreeding, Not Mining, to Blame for Birth Defects." Mother Jones. N.p., 12 July 2011. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. Booth, Jonathan. "Death by Coal in Prenter, WV." The Wesleyan Argus. N.p., 8 Apr. 2009. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Chhotray, Shilpi Diaz, Sandra. "Massey Energy Gets to Continue Business-As-Usual While Tim DeChristopher Gets Two Years in Prison." Appalachian Voices RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. "Economic Impacts of Mountaintop Removal." Appalachian Voices RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. "Ending Mountaintop Removal Mining in Tennessee." Appalachian Voices RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013. Haegele, Greg McDonald, Scott. "The Last Mountain: A Case Study in Participatory Democracy." Energy Vox. N.p., 17 June 2011. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. "Mining." Opensecrets RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013. "Public Health & Coal Slurry." Journey Up Coal River ::: A Project of Aurora Lights "What Is Mountaintop Removal?" Journey Up Coal River ::: A Project of Aurora Lights. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.