« Ind. Law - Indianapolis City-County Council is scheduled to vote on Proposal 622, the Human Rights Ordinance, this evening | Main | Ind. Courts - "Joining efficiency study would be judicious move for judges" »
Monday, December 19, 2005
Environment - The impact of mountaintop mining in Kentucky
The ILB has had numerous entries on the issue of moutaintop mining in the past. Today the Louisville Courier Journal has a story showing the impact of such mining, an AP story by Roger Alford, complete with photos. Some quotes:
HAZARD, Ky. -- For Lyle Snider, the view from Ky. 80 is breathtaking, but not in a good way.Parked on the side of the four-lane highway, the New Hampshire native watched a mountain disappear bit by bit at the hands of miners using explosives and giant earth-moving machines. "It really does look like a moonscape," Snider said, gazing across a barren expanse of dirt and rock.
Mountaintop-removal coal mining, which had largely been relegated to the Appalachian backcountry, has been edging closer to major highways because of a mining boom sparked by higher coal prices. And that has created a sort of reverse eco-tourism among people seeking their first up-close look at the much-debated practice. It also has provided an opportunity for environmentalists to try to sway more people into opposing such mines.
"Disaster tourism" is the term used by the Rev. John Rausch, director of the Catholic Committee of Appalachia, who says visitors are adding mountaintop-removal sites to their travel itineraries, especially in places where they can watch and take photos from the security of their cars.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on December 19, 2005 07:10 AM
Posted to Environment