[Old School]

So what you're saying is that people's lives are just sacrifices so people here can have decent jobs?

The sad thing is a couple of years ago a young boy was killed by a boulder that came rolling off of a surface mine. A couple dozer's had pushed the boulder over into a nearby valley and it rolled into the house killing the young boy. The mining company was fined $10,000, and then the appealed the fine. Seems like they really take responsibility for their actions.

I know mining offers jobs to a lot of people here, and it does give good wages, but I dont think it's worth the damage we are doing to this beautiful area. Polluted streams, polluted drinking water, increased flooding, Mudslides, busted roads from overloaded coal trucks, and many more issues are related to mining and MTR.

They say we need more land but only 2-5% of the mined land is being used, so I don't think land is needed.

Coal companies have never went out of their way to help this region, they only exploit us, this area is rich beyond belief in minerals, but a big portion of the population falls below the poverty line, it just isn't right. How can a land be so rich, and it's inhabitants struggle to get by when big shots in cities outside of the region are living in luxury?

And what happens when the price of coal falls? Our economy falls, and it falls hard. We are lead to believe that coal is the only thing this region is good for, and it's not. There is really no other job opportunities here besides mining, and it our own fault, we have let them monopolize the jobs in this area.

People here are afraid to speak out, everyone knows someone who works in the mines, and families are so close here that you don't want to speak out against them. And coal has been the major employer in this region for so long that people fear what would happen if it wasn't here, so they let the coal companies do what they please as long as they offer them jobs. They come into our region and destroy our land, and they hire us to do it. So many people say they love the mountains, that they love this land, but they have no problem blowing the crap out of it, just as long as they get paid. So thats why I think you hear criticism coming from outside of this region, people away from here don't have the fear and ties to coal companies as we do.

I noticed that once again you brought up the accident involving the young boy in Virginia, now I have to admit that I have a hard time talking about death especially when it invloves children regardless if its accidental or due to medical conditions, but I would like to make a suggestion to you please for the sake of everyone concerned in this tragedy get the facts right. According to the Commonwealth of Virginia's Final Investigation Report states that a large rock measuring 30" inches X 24" inches X 16" inches, was dislodged during unaruthorized reconstruction of a mine access road and rolled 649' feet down a steep wooded hillside and into the house, but you stated in your post that a couple of dozers pushed the boulder over the hill into a valley and rolled into the house. The final report also states that one D-10 dozer was working in this area, now if your not familar with a D-10 dozer the size of the blade is roughly 7' feet high and 12' feet wide (I can't imagine 2 of these machines side by side pushing a 2 foot rock can you) and no valley was mentioned in this report. The company was fined $15,000 (not $10,000 as you stated in your post) for three violations which was the maximum allowed by Virginia law at the time of the accident, and I have yet to find any information if the fines were appealed or not, besides what difference does it make if the fines were appealed or not the money goes to the state of Virginia.

One newspaper reported that the faimly reached a multi-million dollar settlement with the coal company.

I agree the economy in this area goes as the coal industry does, but how is that fault of the Coal Companies? Coal companies have never stopped anyone form moving other industries into the area, I would have to blame the local and state officals over the years for not working hard enough to bring others into this region.