Is Mountain-Top Removal “Removing” More than Just Mountains in Appalachia?

Mountain-top removal is a method of mining that is used to extract coal from places that would otherwise be nearly impossible to get to. These coal seams are located in the middle of mountains, so to get to them, miners will completely level the tops of these mountains. To do this, they usually use explosives to help loosen the dirt, and then machines are used to pick up and dump the dirt into nearby valleys. Mountain-top removal, while very effective at mining coal, has some very negative impacts on the environment and also on the communities nearby the sites. “The central Appalachian coalfields cover about 48,000 km2 in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee, and have a long history of mining.” (Griffith et al., 2012). This process mainly happens in the Appalachian region, and many people are affected by this.

The process of mountain-top removal involves clearing the mountain of all vegetation. After the mountain top is cleared, explosives are used to loosen the dirt. The coal that they wish to access is very far beneath the mountain, so they need to use a lot of explosives. “Removing that much earth is done by using millions of pounds of explosives — with blasts that can be 50 to 100 times more powerful than the Oklahoma City bombing.” (Kentuckians for the commonwealth, 2018). All of the dust and other chemicals and particles from the explosions are released into the air. After the blasting, the next step is to dig up all of the blasted dirt and move it somewhere else. All of the waste from the blasts are just dumped into nearby valleys. The coal is then processed right there on site and the waste from that is stored in containers on site.

The entire process of mountain-top removal can cause massive damage to the environment. Appalachia is known for the beauty of their mountains, and this process completely levels them off and destroys them. First, when leveling the top of the mountain, these people are destroying the habitats of many animals, forcing them to either move or to die. Another effect that the process has on the environment is it can completely block or pollute rivers. When the waste is dumped into nearby valleys, the waste can pile up in rivers which creates a dam of pollution. This can cause toxic chemicals to seep into the river, causing the wildlife to die off. It can also contaminate the drinking water for nearby communities. “…concentrations of major chemical ions are persistently elevated downstream” (EPA, 2016). These rivers are part of what defines the region of Appalachia. “Our streams help define our understanding of place, of where we come from.” (Kentuckians for the commonwealth, 2018). The people of Appalachia see these rivers as more than just rivers. They see them as part of who they are and where they are from, and mountain-top removal is removing this part of their lives. Air pollution is another problem. The dust and chemicals from the blasting are released into the air without monitoring what it is. All of this pollution causes major health effects in these mining communities. One effect is cancer. Cancer rates of communities near mining sites are much higher compared to other places in Appalachia. “…people living near mountaintop mining have cancer rates of 14.4% compared to 9.4% for people elsewhere in Appalachia” (Kentuckians for the commonwealth, 2018). Also, children are born with birth defects. The rate was 42% higher in mountain-top removal areas than in other areas (Kentuckians for the commonwealth, 2018). This just shows how terrible this process is for the environment, and for the health of people in Appalachia.

Mountain-top removal can also have some other effects as well to the surrounding areas. When blasting the mountain, rocks sometimes end up flying in all different directions. Depending on where the process is happening, nearby communities can be completely covered in dust, and flying rocks can sometimes even damage people’s homes (Appalachian Voices, 2017). Flooding can also occur due to mountain-top removal. “Without trees on steep mountain slopes, rainfall can quickly accumulate to dangerous levels, subjecting nearby communities to powerful flash floods” (Appalachian Voices, 2017). Some of these floods can be very devastating to the people of these communities. The sludge is also stored in compounds that are very close to some communities. If the sludge were to somehow leak out, then entire communities could be completely wiped out from the giant wave (Appalachian Voices).

The economy of Appalachian communities can also be affected by mountain-top removal. All of the money that these big coal companies are making goes to themselves. Almost none of it goes into the communities that they are affecting. Also, there are not as many jobs for the people. Compared to traditional coal mining, mountain-top removal just does not offer the same amount of job opportunities. This is mainly because of the fact that most of the actual mining is done by machines, so it would be too much money for these companies to hire people that they don’t need.

Overall, the people of Appalachia are greatly affected by this terrible process of mountain-top removal. The environment is destroyed, and people’s lives are completely changed. All because these mining companies want to make as much money as possible. They don’t stop to think about what they could be doing to the environment. As a current student in civil engineering, I feel like this practice should be more regulated than it is today. I would not want to be the manager of a project like this. Appalachia is known for its natural beauty and the amazing people that live there. Mountain-top removal impacts the way Appalachian people live, and it could be prevented. Although coal is important, people’s lives and their homes are more important. They should be the top priority, even it means it costs a little bit more money.

This video shows the process of mountain-top removal, and how devastating it can really be to the surrounding environment:

WORKS CITED

“Basic Information about Surface Coal Mining in Appalachia.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 6 Oct. 2016, www.epa.gov/sc-mining/basic-information-about-surface-coal-mining-appalachia#impacts.

Schiffman, R. (2018). A Troubling Look at the Human Toll of Mountaintop Removal Mining. [online] Yale E360. Available at: https://e360.yale.edu/features/a-troubling-look-at-the-human-toll-of-mountaintop-removal-mining [Accessed 27 Apr. 2018].

“End Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining.” Appalachian Voices, 2017, appvoices.org/end-mountaintop-removal/.

Griffith, Michael B., et al. “The Effects of Mountaintop Mines and Valley Fills on the Physicochemical Quality of Stream Ecosystems in the Central Appalachians: A Review.” Science of The Total Environment, vol. 417–418, 2012, pp. 1–12., doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.12.042

“Mountaintop Removal and Strip Mining.” Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, 2018, www.kftc.org/campaigns/mountaintop-removal-and-strip-mining.