Mountain Top Removal Strip Mining is a radical form of coal mining in the Appalachian Mountains, where mountains are blown up to extract coal for export and for domestic American electricity production. Half of American electricity comes from burning coal, and coal fired plants produce 40 percent of US carbon dioxide emissions.

 

 In the MTR process, the extremely bio-diverse forest lands are cleared and the rock above coal seams blown off and dumped in the valleys, creating 'Valleys Fills' which bury headwaters of streams. After mining has finished very little can grow as the layers of topsoil have been destroyed.

 

 According to an Environmental Protection Agency report in 2003, 800 square miles of mountains had then been destroyed by MTR. Also, between 1985 and 2001, more than 1200 miles of streams had been buried or polluted. Through legislation, the Bush administration has facilitated the expansion of MTR mining in Appalachia. 

 

 West Virginia is one of the poorest states in America, with one of the lowest minimum wages. In 1996 there were 114 000 unionised coal miners in West Virginia. In 2006 there were less than 11 000 working miners extracting a similiar amount of coal, and only a few of them were union members.

 

 Maria Gunnoe is an environmental activist working for the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition. Her family has lived in Bob White for generations. Above her property is a massive MTR mine, operating since 2000. Several severe floods have destroyed the access bridge to her property and threatened her home. This has only been a problem since mining began, however, the coal company claims these incidents are 'Acts of God'.

 

 Larry Gibson is a founder of the Keepers of the Mountains Foundation. He is a member of the Stanley Family who owns 50 acres of land on top of Kayford Mountain. Their property is surrounded, almost on all sides, by 12 000 acres of MTR mining.

 

 Judy Bonds is a co-director of Coal River Mountain Watch. Her family has lived in the Coal River Valley for 10 generations.

 

 The Dustbusters are Pauline Canterberry and Mary Miller. Massey energy runs a coal loading facility in their home town of Sylvester, West Virginia. Coal dust from the facility has caused many problems with air pollution in the area. The Dustbusters fought Massey Energy who have been forced to build a massive dome over the facility to contain the dust.

 

 Massey Energy currently have 4 permits to mine 6000 acres on top of Coal River Mountain, one of the last untouched mountains in the Coal River Valley. Local environmental organisations are proposing the construction of a wind farm on top of Coal River Mountain instead, to produce electricity and create long term jobs. They propose the development of an alternative economy based on sustainable energy technologies, sustainable forestry and mountain tourism.

 

 More info: www.ilovemountains.org

 

           www.coalriverwind.org