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Updated: 2:59 AM Mar 7, 2008
Proposal Could Halt Mountaintop Removal
A proposal that some say could halt mountaintop removal in Kentucky is expected to be voted on soon in the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee. Environmentalists love the bill, coal companies hate it. Posted: 11:07 PM Mar 6, 2008Reporter: Peter O'Connor Email Address: peter.oconnor@wymtnews.com |
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98 Comments 
A proposal that some say could halt mountaintop removal in Kentucky is expected to be voted on soon in the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee. Environmentalists love the bill, coal companies hate it.
Coal insiders say if the measure passes, it will slow any growth to Eastern Kentucky's economy but environmentalists say they don't care about more jobs if it means they have to bathe in and drink bad water.
Environmentalists say they are tired of getting bad water from coal companies.
"I suffer from that, where I live nobody has adequate drinking water," said Raul Urias.
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth Member Raul Urias says enough is enough and that is why he supports House Bill 569. The measure would prohibit coal companies from dumping dirt and rock from mountaintops into streams and valleys.
"Unfortunately I have to bathe in it, my family has to bathe in it but we do have a small amount of drinking water supplied to us through the coal company agreement," Urias said.
Others say the legislation will impose unfair restrictions on the coal companies.
"In the Bluegrass, they call it industrial development. In the mountains, they call it destruction," said Hazard Mayor Bill Gorman.
Gorman says it could hurt the region's ability to grow and create jobs.
"The development of the mountains has come by proper development and I'm not saying go out there and do anything, but I'm saying at the right place at the right time we're furnishing jobs," Gorman said.
Environmentalists like Raul Urias say more jobs is good, but not at the expense of others.
The legislative panel expects to vote on the measure soon.
The bill was scheduled to be voted on by the legislative panel Wednesday, but lawmakers say not enough members were present.
Latest Comments
Scott, hundrends of people are out of work "because" of mountain top removal mining. It takes less men to so called mine that way, so the real miners are all laid off, and their mountains are destroyed. by the way, manufacturing and tourism offer more jobs than the coal industry, and we would probably have more of those type jobs in the South eastern part of the state if it wasnt for King Coal. antoher thing why, when the coal industry makes so much money, are we in poverty?
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Coal Mining profits organizations like Massey Coal. It does nothing for the hardworking people of Ky. Myth: Mountaintop removal mining increases employment. Fact: Mountaintop removal strip mining is so profitable for the coal companies precisely because it replaces most of the need for labor with highly destructive, but nonetheless efficient, explosives and machinery. Although coal production rose 32 percent between 1987 and 1997, mining jobs dropped by 29 percent over the same period. Source: Citizens Coal Council Fact: The number of people employed by the coal industry in West Virginia peaked around 1940 at over 130,000 people employed, producing approximately 130,000 short tons of coal annually. By 1997, less than 20,000 people were being paid by coal companies to produce over 180,000 short tons of coal annually. Source: Coal Productivity, WV Office of Miners Health, Safety & Training Myth: Mountaintop removal mining improves local economies. Fact: Tourism pumps far more money into West Virginia economy each year than does the coal industry. Source: Citizens Coal Council Fact: Surface mining (which includes MTR mining), accounts for only 1.2% of jobs in WV and brings in just 2.6% of the state’s total revenues. The counties where surface mining predominates are some of the still poorest counties in the country. Source: 2002 economic census data;
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I grew up in Hazard, and I love the people, but I wish you all would take a closer look at what you are giving up. Beautiful forests, clean streams, adequate drinking water, clean air, wild life...and you are replacing it with saw grass and briers, silt ponds, no trees. I know you hurt for money, I was raised in a house w/no running water, and a pot bellied stove, but I would prefer that to to the destruction of our environment for the greed of the Coal Companies. It wont last forever, the coal will be gone, then what will you have? you wont have your land anymore!
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