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Trash the planet, earn bonuses. Call attention to this, go to jail.

September 27th, 2010 · 1 Comment

Mountain-top removal (MTR) is a travesty, a crime on current and future generations in the interest of near-term profits. Even within the context of mining coal, MTR isn’t just a way to get the miner out of the mine but miners out of the coal industry as blowing up the mountains and devastating the environment […]

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Tags: coal · Energy

Just as EPA doesn’t like getting dumped on, neither do West Virginians …

September 13th, 2010 · 1 Comment

Earlier today, Rainforest Action Network (RAN)paid a visit to EPA headquarters in Washington, DC, and brought along a gift: a truckload of Appalachian dirt and rubble .  As per the photo, the message was simple: EPA: don’t let King Coal dump on Appalachia. This, of course, is referring to the damage in the ongoing War […]

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Tags: coal

Science blows the top off mountaintop removal mining

January 8th, 2010 · 4 Comments

This cross-post from DWG provides an excellent perspective on the heavily peer-reviewed study, just published in Science magazine, that provides strong material about the serious health (environmental and human) implications of Mountain Top Removal (MTR).  For links to numerous other discussions, see here. The rapacious polluters in the coal industry are celebrating. The approval of […]

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Tags: business practice · coal · Energy · environmental · government energy policy · pollution

MTR from some security guards’ perspective

September 14th, 2009 · Comments Off on MTR from some security guards’ perspective

Mountain Top Removal, as practiced in Appalachia, is perhaps best described as a warfare on America, Americans, and the planet. A practice filled with devastating implications, about the only redeeming feature is its short term profit making for those who rate the dollars in their pocket above essentially everything else. Many of those who encounter […]

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Tags: coal · Energy

Almost Heaven, West Virginia — land of putt-putt golf courses?

September 7th, 2009 · 1 Comment

“Almost heaven, West Virginia …” An anthem immediately recognizable to millions. Yet, an anthem under ever mounting threat. West Virginia, as with much of the world, faces a clear choice between an ever-dirtier fossil fuel path and moving toward a prosperous, climate friendly economy. While this is a global challenge, in West Virginia the choices […]

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Tags: Energy

Batting 0 for 37,000: Why MTR Restoration Fails

August 25th, 2009 · 4 Comments

A Fish Out of Water struggles to survive, finding a path toward a safer environment. FishOutofWater is a thoughtful, engaged scientist, passionately struggling to help us find our way toward a prosperous, climate-friendly future. Here is a guest post focusing on the local, regional, national tragedy that is mountain-top removal. Mountaintop Removal Mining (MTR) at […]

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Tags: coal · Energy

Cradle-to-Grave Crazy, Cradle-to-Grave Reckless

August 15th, 2009 · 4 Comments

The insanity of truth denying is somewhat staggering to considering, with people who are so disconnected from the real world that they seek to create some form of near 50 year long conspiracy of how Barack Obama wasn’t actually born in the United States (as long as you consider Hawaii as one of the 50 […]

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Tags: climate delayers · coal · Energy · global warming deniers

Kennedy pleas to end Mountain Top Removal

December 12th, 2008 · Comments Off on Kennedy pleas to end Mountain Top Removal

Sometime it is hard to wrap one’s head around an issue. How can anyone be “for” mountain top removal? While I’d disagree, vehemently, economic necessity forcing an ugly choice at least would be a more reasoned starting point. But, as with caroling lumps of coal, there are those in the industry who heart MTR. And, […]

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Tags: coal · Energy

Broken Government, dirty energy style

December 10th, 2008 · Comments Off on Broken Government, dirty energy style

The Center for Public Integrity‘s Broken Government project has just put online a report and searchable database of 125 executive branch failures that merit serious attention and, well, Change. Subjects include: Growth of foreign oil dependency Smart Grid development stalled Climate Change deceit Politicizing Science Policy And, well, 100 other quite serious arenas.

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Tags: Energy

30 Days to Save the Mountains … counting down …

November 14th, 2007 · Comments Off on 30 Days to Save the Mountains … counting down …

For nearly a month, a group of bloggers (including, in a minor way, me) have sought to brought visibility to the havoc and pain that mountain top removal are causing through much of the Appalachians in 30 Days to Save the Mountains. Havoc and pain that is not justifiable on energy requirements, economic, social, health, environmenal […]

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Tags: coal