[Coach_Owens87]

Posted by: Jordan Location: Hindman
I like how the coal companies say we need more flat land, when 98% of the mined land is currently not being used. We have all this flat land in a mountainous region, and we're not using it, but yet they claim we need more. Thats absurd. The truth is that MTR is destroying Appalachia. For proof all anyone needs to do is just drive around Eastern Ky. It's a shame that we are letting these coal companies destroy this land that makes us who we are. It must be stopped.

Mountains is who we are, BUT, COAL MINING is who we are too. Appalachia has been known for COAL MINING for decades, why should it change now. All the land that is mined is cleaned up and reclaimed. All these people would be complainin if Appalachia was known for loggin and there weren't any trees coverin the mountain side.

Reclamation is a joke, anyone who is not in the coal business will tell you that. Just go to a "reclaimed" site and see if it is back to it's original contour before mining. The law states that it must be. You cant take out thousands of acres of mixed Mesophytic forest, which can contain up to 23 species of trees per acre, and replace it with a flat piece of land with grass and shrubs. Thats not reclamation. I know many strip mines that have been abandoned for ten years and only contain about 1 tree per every 2 acres. I just don't see how that qualifies as reclamation. People need to understand that trees struggle to grow on the destroyed land, the topsoil is taken away and replaced with rocky dirt, and the grass that is planted takes away all the root space trees need to grow.

Logging: Your right we would complain if logging took all the trees, it happened before, and the logging business cleaned up their practice somewhat. Although logging is still causing some problems in the region, such as landslides.

I really don't know why I try to debate people on the damage we are doing to this earth, it seems people are too stubborn to realize what is happening. That and a lot of companies don't want to give up that income, no matter what damage they are causing.