NC's Connection to Mountain Top Removal
Submitted by ncsierraclub on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 4:48pm
Coal mining has played an important role in shaping the economy, environment and heritage of Appalachia. Unfortunately coal has also resulted in significant health risks for communities and ecosystems in the region. Most recently we've witnessed the destructive practice of mountain top removal. This process destroys surrounding environments and communities in an effort to easily and cheaply excavate coal seams. As of 2009, 470 mountain peaks have been leveled by the practice and over 1,200 miles of pure mountain streams have been buried or polluted. The method of extraction is simply unacceptable.
In North Carolina, 61 percent of our electricity is produced by coal-fired plants and a over 50 percent of our coal is extracted from mountain top removal operations. Basically we are supporting a practice that has devastating social and environmental consequences for Appalachia. Below you will find a tool that reveals your connection to mountain top removal mining.
NC House Bill 340
If enacted, would make NC's use of mountaintop removal coal illegal. Here are the heroes, so you can support them:
And here is the gauntlet of committees this bill will have to make it through to receive a final vote:
OK, so what's the answer?
Your group opposes nuclear doesn't it? Wind won't do it...solar won't...so what will you support?
What "our group" supports
"Our group" supports a combination of many alternative energy sources. You are new here, obviously. I do not have the time to go over all that has been gone over on our blog here with regard to that, but suffice to say that we here, in large part, favor efforts to eliminate energy producing sources that pollute our environment and increase CO2 output. It is what we are all about here. Oh, and please do not try to begin an argument about how global warming is a ruse and that climate change is not happening. We've been through that over and over again. We know what side of the issues in that regard you stand on and we have heard all the rhetoric and spin from that side. We "follow the science" here.
Thanks for participating. But, please realize that this is not just some innocuous site unwilling to present our points and stand by them.