Mountain Top Removal-Part I

In this series of articles, I will explain what MTR is, talk about the laws that govern it and the controversy surrounding the practice.

Mountaintop Removal Mining
What is mountaintop removal mining (MTR)? What justifications are given to support this practice? How does MTR affect watersheds and the landscape? For anyone not familiar with the practice of mountaintop removal mining, these questions may come to mind. For anyone who lives near an MTR mine site, the answers are well-known.

Mountaintop removal is a common form of surface mining that has been in use since the 1970’s. Basically, mountaintops are quite literally blown off using generous amounts of explosives. The purpose being to extract entire coal seams as much as 1000ft below the peak. This type of mining is popular with coal companies because they get more bang for the buck. Mining jobs are all but eliminated and replaced by a huge piece of equipment called a dragline, which can cost upwards of $100million. MTR is simply an efficient and profitable way to recover energy from the earth.

This particular form of mining, while providing necessary energy, can be particularly intrusive to the surrounding area, often causing drinking water contamination, increased erosion, flooding and sedimentation[1], damage to home foundations[2] and some serious noise pollution[3]. Communities in the vicinity of mountaintop removal sites tend to suffer from decreased home values and depressed quality of life. Those who choose to leave may have trouble finding a buyer willing put up with the same conditions they themselves are trying to escape.

Personally, I don’t agree with the practice. A big problem I and others have with mountaintop removal, besides the complete destruction of a mountain, is the way the mining byproducts are handled. MTR operations are usually granted an AOC variance[4] creating excess spoil[5] which is disposed of in valley fills.[6] Coal slurry[7] impoundments are held in place by sludge dams constructed from excess spoil which can be unstable and prone to leakage.

For more information, here is an article from Earth Observatory: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/MountaintopRemoval/

[1] To facilitate MTR mining, the area is first clear-cut, exposing bare soil to the elements.
[2] Blasting is so strong it is often felt in nearby communities, causing structural damage to homes. [3] MTR operations can work 24 hours a day as close as 300ft to residential areas.
[4]
SMCRA requires mine sites to be reclaimed to Approximate Original Contour. Basically this means they must leave the site looking about the same as it did before it was mined. A variance or waiver can be granted if the proposed reclamation meets certain conditions. When a variance is granted, excess spoil is created because not all of the overburden is returned to the site.
[5] In surface mining, soil and rock overburden must be fractured and removed. These broken pieces of rock are referred to as spoil. Since the fractured rock has more volume than when it was undisturbed, the volume becomes greater. [6] A valley fill is the disposal of excess spoil by pushing it into the adjacent valley, burying headwaters streams and aquatic habitat. [7] Coal slurry is the left over wash water used to process coal in preparation for distribution. The water is usually contaminated with pollutants such as mercury and arsenic which are toxic to aquatic life and harmful to humans as well.

Skate Park Here We Come!!

A really great project in Appalachia, VA will benefit area teens and give them a place to hang.

See article at http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/sports.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-11-16-0121.html

Poverty and highwall mining in Appalachia

This is an article addressing poverty in SE Ohio.

http://www.athensnews.com/issue/article.php3?story_id=29931

Read this article on high-wall mining equipment. It makes claims of increased high-wall mining with decreased mountaintop removal mining resulting from recent court decisions.

http://www.kentucky.com/471/story/233700.html

House Environmental Committee Approves Coal Miner’s Day Resolution

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee this week reported out House Resolution 410 (DeWeese-D-Greene) that designates December 19 as "Coal Miner's Day" in Pennsylvania.

The Committee is Chaired by Rep. Bud George (D-Clearfield) and Rep. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango) serves as the Republican Chair.

Plans for coal-fired electric nixed

The new owners of TXU, formerly Luminant, have dropped plans to build 8 of 11 proposed coal-fired power plants. The energy company has been taken private in a $45billion deal.

http://www.thedailygreen.com/2007/10/16/plan-to-build-8-coal-fired-power-plants-dropped/7838/

Coal Miner’s Day in PA

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets next week to consider House Resolution 410 (DeWeese-D-Greene) that designates December 19 as "Coal Miner's Day" in Pennsylvania.

The Committee is Chaired by Rep. Bud George (D-Clearfield) and Rep. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango) serves as the Republican Chair.

Coal-to-Liquid Fuels

The House recently held a hearing on coal-to-liquid technology. They concluded that not only can't the industry compete with out federal support, but it will do nothing to reduce greenhouse emissions.

"The unavoidable fact is that liquid fuel made from coal contains essentially the same amount of carbon as is in gasoline or diesel made from petroleum. Given these results, it is not surprising that a recent Battelle study found that a significant coal-to-liquids industry is not compatible with stabilizing atmospheric CO2 concentrations below twice the pre-industrial value. "--David Hawkins, NRDC

It doesn't look like King Coal will be coming to the rescue of the planet anytime soon.

Upcoming events

October 4, 2007, 7:00 PM: Panel on the Impact of Sprawl on Natural Resources. Brian Hill will serve as one of 4 panelists. Location: Widener Law School in Harrisburg. PEC is co-sponsoring with PCIEP.

October 15, 2007: PEC presenting to Joint Committee on our Climate Change Roadmap: Location: Harrisburg, PA

October 15, 2007, 6:00 PM: Philadelphia Urban Sustainability Forum - Mayoral Debate - Submit your YouTube questions by October 5th. Location: Academy of Natural Sciences. 19th and Ben Franklin Parkway.

October 18, 2007, 6:00PM: PEC NE Dinner. Nancy Cole from the Union of Concerned Scientists is the featured speaker. Location: Woodlands Inn, Wilkes-Barre.

October 19, 2007, 12noon: Environmental Partners Program in Philadelphia. Jointly sponsored by Senator Erickson and Representative Vitali.

October 23, 2007, 9:00AM-4:00PM: COALS Summit in Harrisburg. Location: Pennsylvania State Capitol Building North Office Building, Hearing Room 1, Harrisburg Please.

More info on all these events can be found on http://www.pecpa.org under "news and events."

Still don’t believe in Global Warming?

Here's more evidence of global warming. Check out this sea ice graphic from the NY Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2007/10/01/science/20071002_ARCTIC_GRAPHIC.html?th&emc=th#

And if you're thinking it has nothing to do with Appalachia, where do you think most of the CO2 producing coal is coming from?

Cool Educational Tools

Really neat site that explains what all goes into the production of resource intensive products.

http://www.howproductsimpact.net/

 

A tongue-in-cheek metaphor poking holes in the feasibility of carbon emissions trading. From the UK, so prepared to be shocked/amused.

www.cheatneutral.com

 

Governor calls for new regulation in Utah mining

The governor of Utah will hear testimony from the commission formed after last months Crandall Mine Disaster. He is calling for state regulation of mining in Utah. Since SMCRA passed in 1977, the state has relied on federal inspectors to regulate its mining operations. Several coal-mining states in Appalachia, including West Virginia and Kentucky, have continued their own mining regulation program from the start relying on the feds only for oversight. I am not at all surprised to hear this sentiment in Utah, since major disasters usually spur cries for safety improvements and/or new laws. Why is it that someone (in this case 9 someones) has to die before people call for change? I hope they do begin to regulate the mining operations. Someone has to oversee the federal government. For full article see: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/25/us/25mine.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

Comment on the Stream Buffer Zone Rule

As you no doubt already know, the Office of Surface Mining has proposed repealing the Stream Buffer Zone Rule. OSM is accepting public comments on this issue until mid-October. Visit http://www.sierraclub.org/mtr/streams/takeaction.asp this link for instructions on submitting your comments. Make sure your voice is heard.

New technology allows mercury fingerprinting

Anyone living in coal country probably knows about mercury emissions from coal power plants. If not, let me enlighten you. When coal is burned, it releases all the trapped impurities, including mercury into the air. Once airborne, mercury can travel with the wind and is eventually deposited on surfaces. Microorganisms on land or water convert it into a very toxic form which then can build up in the fatty tissues of wildlife and humans. Mecury is a neuro-toxin and can be produce devestating results, including death. Developing brains in young or unborn children are especially at risk. One of the main ways we injest mercury is by eating fish from contaminated waters.

Scientists have discovered a new way to track the source of mercury in the environment. Using isotopic "fingerprints" to examine the makeup of the mercury, scientists may are able to read clues about the source. Each coal-producing region has a product with a slightly different chemical make-up. It may someday be possible to tell exactly where the mecury in your fish dinner came from. There are a wide range of possible applications for this technology. For more info, read the article at http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/23103

Graduate Degrees for the Public Good

Idealist.org will bring graduate school fairs to Appalachia
Nov 6 in Nashville, TN
Nov 8 in Greensboro, NC
Nov 15 in Atlanta, GA
Visit http://www.idealist.org/gradfairs for more info and additional dates.

Celebrations and Forum

Don't miss the Ohio River Watershed Celebration on September 20!
http://www.streamrestorationinc.org/education/riverboat2007.pdf
Mon River Cruise on the Majestic. Starts at Station Square. Free but you have to pre-register.

Cheasapeake Waterhsed Forum
http://www.alliancechesbay.org/forum.cfm
October 12-14 in Shepherdstown, WV. $150 if registered by September 30, 2007.

Rachel Carson Legacy Conference
http://www.rachelcarsonhomestead.org/CentennialCelebration/tabid/88/Default.aspx
September 29, $25 for adults, $10 for college students.

Grants and Awards

Healthy Sprouts Awards
http://www.kidsgardening.com/healthysprouts.asp
Grants to garden with kids. Applications due October 15.

Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence
http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/enviroexcellence/cwp/view.asp?a=3&Q=509799&PM=1
Applications due October 15.

Lehigh River Watershed Photo Contest
http://www.wildlandspa.org/news/photo_contest.html
Sponsored by the wildlands conservancy in PA. Entries due by October 31.

Iraq War about Oil, says Alan Greenspan

Well all I can say is, "Duh!!" And now all the political fallout and denials coming from Defense Secretary Gates. People know what the war is about. If they don't, they're either in denial or trying really hard not to pay attention. Greenspan said that getting rid of Sadaam was essential to securing world oil supplies. Secretary Gates says it's about stability in the Gulf. But why do we need stability in the Gulf, if not to secure our oil supply? Mr. Greenspan now says he is "saddened by the whole political process" and may not even vote in the next election. I find it hard to believe he has just noticed how corrupt politics have become. To read the entire article, visit http://www.enn.com/energy/article/23117.

Disclaimer

I would just like to take a moment to clearify something. Although I am a volunteer with a national government organization, I am posting as a private citizen. All posts are derived from my personal research and opinion and should not be construed as the official opinion of the organization(s) I work for or with. I do not intend to represent the position of any group nor present my opinions in a professional capacity. There may be controversial topics presented for which I will state my personal opinion, and that is all it is, my opinion.

The Clean Coal Misnomer

Surely you've seen those billboards along the road, reading "Clean, Green Coal." Probably you've snickered at them, as have I. But what are they really talking about? I did a little looking and it didn't take long to figure out that "clean" is a relative term when used to refer to coal. It may even refer to the washing process companies have been employing for years and we know current coal power plants are far from clean. But what it more often refers to is several new technologies that are supposed to make coal cleaner. Notice I say 'supposed to' because these technologies are largely unproven and really don't solve the problem anyway.

One such technology is coal-to-liquid gasefication, which can be used to make zero-sulfur 'clean' diesel. This is a fairly common practice in South Africa and was used by Germany during WWII. The first-ever US plant is purported to be up and running by 2009 in NE PA. And it will be able to use waste coal for it's input. (read article at: http://www.governing.com/articles/4coal.htm)

This seems to be a good way of getting rid of the ugly black gob piles that dot the Pennsylvania landscape. Pollutants like mercury are easier to remove from liquefied coal so they aren't released into the environment. It all seems like a great idea.

But what about electricity generation? Isn't that the real problem contributing to the environmental crisis with all the CO2 emissions heating up the atmosphere. Well here again, clean coal can come to the rescue, or can it? The process of burning this fuel for electricity is called integrated gasification combined cycle, or IGCC, and it makes possible the capture of CO2. Again, a good thing. But the problem is what to do with the CO2 once you have it.

Carbon sequestration. An oft-used buzz word in the world of clean coal marketing. But does it really work? Well, frankly, I don't know and neither do the experts. If it works, the problem could potentially be solved. The technology has been used in oil extraction but for different purposes under different circumstances. So the basic way of it is: it might work. Is that really enough to call coal clean? Not in my opinion, but greedy coal companies and politicians don't care about my opinion or yours. They just want to make more money. Coal is abundant and cheap. The rise in oil prices has made these new approaches more feasible. And most people aren't paying enough attention to notice the half-truths.

With the end of peak oil, coal will become more important to the economy. But at what cost? It hardly makes sense to replace one fossil fuel with another. Bottom line is that using coal releases CO2. It can't be avoided and therefore is not a sustainable solution to either our energy or climate problems.

Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team

[Beckley, WV] – This summer the Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team (ACCWT) placed 30 AmeriCorps*VISTA Summer Associates in 8 Appalachian states to improve local watershed organizations and the waterways they serve.
Working with AmeriCorps VISTA, the hard-working Clean Streams Practicum Coordinator, an OSM/VISTA of the Beckley office, and the director of ACCWT, managed to nearly triple ACCWT’s allocation of Summer Associates – from 12 to 31. With a group effort, the team was able to find the necessary people and sites to place every single one. Together they brought over 10,000 hours of paid assistance to the watershed groups of the Appalachian coal country.
The Clean Streams Practicum:
The ACCWT held part one of the Clean Streams Practicum Training Conferences in spring of this year to educate Appalachian watershed organizations in how to be more effective in fiscal sustainability and water quality monitoring. The Clean Streams Practicum consists of three parts: a three-day training retreat held this spring; a summer Practicum period involving the implementation of lessons learned through a structured Practicum project; a final three day training retreat in the fall.

At the close of the spring portion of the practicum, funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), Southern Partners and Patagonia, ACCWT members brought the participant organizations together to devise strategies to implement lessons learned during the conference. The ACCWT then placed Summer Associates to help with part two of the practicum, implementation of the strategies outlined at the training. These positions were filled mostly by college students and teachers on break for the summer.

Very soon, participants will return to Twin Falls State Park in WV for a follow-up conference. They will be able to discuss their summer accomplishments and provide feedback for conference organizers. This portion of the Clean Streams Practicum is also funded by the aforementioned grants. An additional grant from Ben &Jerry’s has recently been secured and will help to offset training costs as well.

For more information, visit:
www.accwt.org

Welcome!!

Welcome to the Northern Coal Queen Blog where I will be writing about the coal legacies and environmental issues of Appalachia. The urbanized east coast has been raping and pillaging Appalachia of her natural resources from the start and I for one, am sick of it. I and so many others work tirelessly at mending the wrongs of the past and trying to prevent or stop the ones that still happen today. This beautiful part of the world, already scarred and damaged, is second only to the rainforest in species diversity. Let's keep her that way.

For more info or to volunteer visit the following:
www.accwt.org
www.wpcamr.org