EPA Sacrifices Another Appalachian Peak To Mountain Top Removal Mining
A little over three months ago, environmentalists and residents of Appalachia rejoiced when the EPA announced that, in addition to putting a hold on over 79 mountain top removal mining permits, it was planning to launch an in-depth study of the coal mining practice and the negative impact of its “valley-fill” procedure.
Many, including myself, thought that this was proof that the Obama administration was serious when it said that suspected environmental impacts of mountain top removal mining and holding mining companies accountable for stream restoration was high on its list of priorities.
However, this relief has proved to be a little premature.
In a January 5th press release, the EPA informed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that it “supports issuing a Clean Water Act permit for the Hobet 45 mine in Lincoln County, operated by Hobet Mining, LLC.”
The press release went on to assure readers that this decision was made “after extensive discussions between EPA and the company resulted in additional significant protections against environmental impacts.”
Rob Perks, director of the Center for Advocacy Campaigns in Washington, D.C., wrote that “by giving the green light to the 600-acre Hobet 45 mine in Lincoln County, West Virginia, EPA is signing off on the coal company damaging approximately half the streams targeted by the original plan.”
This latest decision leaves one to wonder whether the EPA’s so-called in-depth study was just another bone thrown to quiet restless conservationists looking for action instead of more talk.
How can the EPA, in good conscience, allow more mountain top removal mining, when it has not yet come to a scientific consensus as to whether or not these practices are harmful to the surrounding environment? Why is it that they seem to have such trouble living up to their own standards?
Maybe we should have expected as much.
In a September 2009 article published by the Charleston Gazette of West Virginia, an area of the Appalachian Mountains particularly affected by mountaintop removal mining, it was reported that “cultural, aesthetic and human health impacts that may be associated with this mining technique are not part of the scope of this current assessment.”
This means that although the confirmation of negative environmental impacts from mountain top removal mining would point to the fact that there are probably detrimental effects for the people that live and work in the area like a Las Vegas marquee, the EPA really prefers not to deal with that at the moment.
The NRDC’s position, of course, is that it is time to put a stop to this veritable purple mountain tragedy in Appalachia, and I support that stance wholeheartedly.
There is a massive “Join the Fight To End Mountain Top Removal” petition on Care2.com that will be sent to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson at the beginning of March 2010. It needs about 3000 more signatures to reach its 10K goal, and I would encourage you to add your name today.
Even if you don’t live in one of the states that is directly affected by mountain top removal mining, you can stay up to date with issues as they develop and show your support for activists on the front lines in these states by visiting MountainAction.org.
We are blowing up and removing the tops of mountains, causing great damage to local communities and the environment, all in an effort to extract the dirtiest form of energy there is, coal. Insane. One way to solve this is to phase out coal plants and remove the demand.
http://www.selfdestructivebastards.com/2010/01/mountaintop-removal.html
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