[Hoot Gibson]

i agree with the fact that we cant deep mine all of the coal.but how greedy has the coal companies gotten? they have resorted to strip mining the coal putting animals out of their natural born habitat, polluting streams, flooding homes, haveing the lives of children in danger by placeing ponds of hazordous waste directly behind schools and to be quite honest it seems as if for 8 years they could literally get away with murder. and for what? more money in don blankenships pocket. do we really need ALL of the coal? i understand that its a buisness. but even drug dealers eventually get through in jail putting lives in danger.

Surface mining has nothing to do with greed - no more so than any other business enterprise. Coal operators will choose whichever mining method is available to maximize profits. Maximizing profits is good for shareholders, it is good for employees, and it is good for the communities in which they operate. Companies struggling to stay in business are far more likely to resort to illegal shortcuts that put their workers and the environment at risk. When struggling companies suffer a major accident or environmental disaster, they simply file bankruptcy and close up shop. Profits are a good thing and they should be celebrated not demonized.

What if Massey had been nearly broke when the slurry spill happened? If Massey had gone out of business and left the area, do you think that the federal government would have cleaned up the creeks as quickly or as well?

Look at the BP spill as an example. The Obama administration is only now, more than two months after the spill, giving some large oil skimmers permission to operate in the Gulf. Obama received offers from the Dutch to send large skimmers to the Gulf three days after the spill and declined the offer. Why? Because accepting the offer would have required waiving the Jones Act, which is designed to protect US union jobs in our ports.

Be thankful that a coal company employs you and pray that they remain profitable because companies that lose money do not have employees for long.