Thursday, February 11, 2010
Mountaintop Mining Public Hearings Held
KENTUCKY....
Thursday, mountaintop removal coal mining opponents, coal miners and industry supporters gathered in Virginia and Kentucky to attend public hearings on a bill that would ban coal companies from dumping rock and rubble they blast off mountaintops into nearby streams. Country singer Kathy Mattea was among those gathering at the Kentucky Capitol. Senator Ray Jones (D-Pikeville) said, “If people feel guilty about burning coal, they need to have their electricity disconnected." Jones said thousands of families depend on their livelihood from mining related jobs, and what some call mountaintop removal…many in his region call economic development. Supporters of the bill said mountaintop mining has devastated areas and ruined waterways. They say it's too high a cost for those who live downstream, degrading to the environment and degrading to the future.
Thursday, mountaintop removal coal mining opponents, coal miners and industry supporters gathered in Virginia and Kentucky to attend public hearings on a bill that would ban coal companies from dumping rock and rubble they blast off mountaintops into nearby streams. Country singer Kathy Mattea was among those gathering at the Kentucky Capitol. Senator Ray Jones (D-Pikeville) said, “If people feel guilty about burning coal, they need to have their electricity disconnected." Jones said thousands of families depend on their livelihood from mining related jobs, and what some call mountaintop removal…many in his region call economic development. Supporters of the bill said mountaintop mining has devastated areas and ruined waterways. They say it's too high a cost for those who live downstream, degrading to the environment and degrading to the future.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 7:49 PM 
