Just less then nine months ago one of the worst toxic slurry spills in history did occur and millions of gallons of toxic slurry rushed across the land and into the river. This was just north of the state line and still today the train cars continue to drive through Alabama to dump the recovered poisons in our toxic landfills. Sure TVA did not intentionally dump the sludge and slurry into the river, they did not want it there. Nonetheless the waste is in the river and hundreds of miles of river are contaminated beyond anything man can clean up with even our best efforts and latest technology. The clean up will depend certainly on the efforts of the workers dredging what they can but mostly on the continuous efforts of Mother Nature with the river, its streambed, the mussels, snails, plants, and other organisms that are always working on the river to keep it clean. No the river purity has been damaged for decades probably centuries due to this one event just before Christmas of 2008. No the company did not intentional discharge the toxins into the river but for Christmas the community along the river and the country as a whole did not just received a lump of coal but a great burden of toxic slurry.
Now the company might tell you that they did what they were required to and blame the spill on an act of nature or unusual circumstances, and some may agree. However, the fact is that someone made the decision to raise the height of the slurry pond instead of dredge the material and dispose of it another way, an engineering company drew up the appropriate plans, a contractor was hired that implemented the plan and the state regulators agreed that the pond met the appropriate legal requirements and not one drop of water would enter the river without first being treated to the current legal requirements. I am sure the agencies responsible made all the regular inspections whether bimonthly or once a year but the fact is the dam failed and there is no taking it back or denying it even though we tend to forget all to easily. That is you forget unless it is in your own backyard and you now have to live with it for the rest of your life.
I am not saying the engineers were incompetent or the contractors did not do their job or that the regulators were corrupt. I am just trying to point out that even when people do what they think is enough things happen and the truth is millions of gallons of toxic slurry were dumped into the river just less than a year ago.
So you question the concerns of citizens that will be affected by this mine saying they are groundless. You say the West Virginia Health study on mining towns has skewed the data. You say that the mining cannot be worse than before because the laws are better now. You say the company will fix the damage from past mining and leave it better than before. You imply we have nothing to worry about.
First of all you are correct to say the laws are better than before. Before the laws were terrible and now they are only real bad and short sighted. Yes these mountains in Blount County were ripped apart some forty years ago. The trees cleared away, all the underbrush was raked back and then the soil with its host of microorganisms was scrapped down piled up and hauled away or spread out and most of it lost to the river through erosion. Next the rocks were blasted away and the bones of the earth were drilled into and blasted apart in order to get to the coal. One of my neighbors described it as a moonscape void of any life. There were pools of blue green water scattered throughout the area that would not even support insect life for at least a decade and seepage of rust colored water that would bring a rash to your skin if you even briefly placed your hand in it. The coal company abandoned the land and Mother Nature continued her steady process of restoring the land. Slowly the weather broke down some of the rock and eventually the harsh materials were leached away and organisms could begin to make the land fertile again. Pioneer plants came in and over time the forest has become the young ecosystem that it is today. The mountains have begun to weather and taken on a more natural look. The river was devastated during this time and the siltation and leeched runoff killed off all but the hardiest of organisms that keep the river healthy. It has taken decades to improve the quality of the river and slowly the river has made progress, but as you mentioned it is not just mining but the excess siltation and nutrification from farms, livestock and human activity that continue to stress the river. You say the mining company will “fix” the area and isn’t that good. The first thing the mining company will do is clear all the over story trees to sell for timber. Next they will rake away all the under story plants and scrape away the thin layer of soil that has developed over the past four decades to be spread around later. Then there will be giant track hoes that will scale the rock wall surface smooth back down to the bare bone. After this they will attempt to drill into the sixteen-inch coal seam four-foot wide holes every three feet apart four hundred feet back into the mountain. This coal will be pulverized into small particles and hauled out by dump truck all day and night for the next five years. Then they will take bulldozers and reshape the spoils from the previous mining some 300 – 400 feet from the mountain wall. We know that the coal seams play an intricate part of the aquifer system in this area and no one can tell you how this type of perforation will turn out but if you live in the area and drink water from a well or spring you will have to live with the results. Now it is true that there are some points of erosion that are still running into the river after all these years but I do not think it is very truthful to say it will be fixed by scraping away the forty years of work Mother Nature has provided. Now you might say we have no reason to worry because an engineering company has designed these ponds and 3 foot high plastic silt fences so that not one drop of water will leave the area without meeting the required specifications. I am sure you will tell me that the company will hire the best contractors to carry out these well designed plans and you will probably say that I can rest assured that the state agency will be out there every other month to check things over just like they are required to by the letter of the law. Well I have heard that story before and it would be negligent on my part to not express my concerns.
You fault my good neighbors for quoting a West Virginia University Health study saying the validity of the data sets were in question which you claim was skewed. The data is clear. The closer to a mining town the incidence of chronic and severe diseases increases, that is not what was in question. The questions arose in trying to determine exactly why. They made an attempt to rule out poverty and certain social habits and certainly there were questions that arose. However, the findings still stand and the research continues to be underway but the fact is the closer you get to mining towns the higher incidences of cancer, liver, kidney and lung disease to name a few. This reminds me of the tobacco executives refuting the ill health effects of smoking. I would not be so condemning of the WVU study as you seem to be so sure of.
I agree with you that everyone should look at this for what it is. An investment company is proposing a sure 12% interest on investments and possibly 25% for some of the start up money to come to our community and with the help of all the land owners they can entice take advantage of our weak laws to exploit these natural resources for their short term economic gain. They promise to be “good” neighbors and they promise to leave the mountain “better” than it is now. In actuality they will run their loud, heavy equipment all day and night. They will strip the mountain bare and stir the dirt into the air and waterways. They will drill into our aquifer system and pulverize the coal so it becomes part of the dust in the air, on our roadways and into the water. They will break down the roads with the heavy, continuous hauling. They will rip away forty years of the work that nature has provided and sell it to us as progress. Don’t tell me these are false claims. Don’t tell me our concerns are groundless. There are currently over 100 mining operations in the Black Warrior watershed and we continue to see violations, excessive siltation, dam breeches, overloaded erosion fences and toxic runoff. Certainly these violations can carry stiff penalties but the concerned citizen is forced to fly over the site to even monitor the area and there are just not enough state regulators to make the rounds. I don’t believe that Mcoal or any other company wants to intentionally destroy the environment. I just believe that it falls to the bottom of the list when trying to meet the profit projections. As witnessed before in this county a coal company will do as little as possible to meet the requirements of the law and I know it has been far too easy to slip past these laws. So I have good grounds to be concerned and I feel it is my responsibility to make sure the highest standards are written into this permit and that there will be constant monitoring of each phase of the operation.
Red Dog
Citizen watch dog loyal to the environment.
Please leave comments that are respectful. Please do not leave comments that are personal attacks. Thank you.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Your fellow blogger up to this time have expressed their opinions but you have written falsehoods. There is no way a mining company, even if it wanted to and no mining company wants to, will discharge toxic slurry and sludge. The state checks these discharge points regularly and it is jut not allowed. The ponds are built so that not one drop of water can leave the permitted area without going through a pond so that the discharged water is in compliance. You are much more likely to have poor quality water running off from any farm or similar activity.
The WVU study you quote from has been brought into question several times to the validity of the data sets used; in other words, the data was scewed to get the result the researchers wanted, which was a negative impact of mining.
The other dangers you list are groundless. If the area was mined before, when the laws were less stringent, what makes you think the results will be worse now? One advantage to the type of mining proposed is that the coal miner can repair some (if not all) of any damage done by the previous miner. Isn't that a good thing?
IF your concern is the 10,000 gallon fuel tank, then you have a lot of work cut out for you. I'm sure there are dozens of 10,000 gallon fuel tanks in Blount county, probably one at the county bus garage.
I think everyone should look at this for what it is; your neighbors want to make money on the land they own by mining the mineral they rightfully own. Why should you have the right to take that away from them based on lies, mis-statements, and half-truths. If you don't want the property mined, do what is fair, simply buy the property from the owners and tell MCoal you don't want to mine it anymore. There is nothing wrong with that.
The WVU study you quote from has been brought into question several times to the validity of the data sets used; in other words, the data was scewed to get the result the researchers wanted, which was a negative impact of mining.
The other dangers you list are groundless. If the area was mined before, when the laws were less stringent, what makes you think the results will be worse now? One advantage to the type of mining proposed is that the coal miner can repair some (if not all) of any damage done by the previous miner. Isn't that a good thing?
IF your concern is the 10,000 gallon fuel tank, then you have a lot of work cut out for you. I'm sure there are dozens of 10,000 gallon fuel tanks in Blount county, probably one at the county bus garage.
I think everyone should look at this for what it is; your neighbors want to make money on the land they own by mining the mineral they rightfully own. Why should you have the right to take that away from them based on lies, mis-statements, and half-truths. If you don't want the property mined, do what is fair, simply buy the property from the owners and tell MCoal you don't want to mine it anymore. There is nothing wrong with that.
Anonymous
Coal mining is no more harmful to the environment than ignorant people breathing in oxygen and out carbon dioxide. The Rosa Mine will be a boon to the local economy and leave the area better than it is now.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Mining could destroy our County
We are about to see the destruction of Blount County as we know it.
Residences of Blount County have had previous generations of family living
in the County or have chosen to live here due to the serenity of the area.
THIS IS ABOUT TO BE DESTROYED!
Mcoal corporation, a Canadian based high risk resource exploration
corporation is in the process of obtaining a permit to mine nearly 3,300
acres. This is not only going to effect the County’s landscape, but also the
lives, safety, health and peace of the majority of County residences as well
as those who live in adjoining Counties.
Alabama Surface Mining Commission will hold a public hearing on the issue on
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
6:30 PM
Frank Green Building, Oneonta, AL
The local Government officials have decided mostly to remain neutral. We thus
need the support of each citizen who will be effected in a negative way,
and this includes YOU!
Specific concerns are as follows:
The water quality of local streams being effected by the 60+ waste water
discharge locations. These stations will discharge both coal sludge/slurry,
as well as toxic chemicals into local streams feeding into the Locust Fork
River which flows into the Black Warrior Watershed. This
water supplies Birmingham, Locust Fork, Oneonta, Cullman, Cleveland,
Allgood, and probably you if you live in this area.
The quality and quantity of water provided by private wells as this mining
operation will effect the water table itself. Toxic drainage is also a major
concern for private wells as toxic waste water will be seeping back into
underground water supplies.
The negative health effects. A study at West Virginia University found
there was a 70% increase in kidney disease, a 64% increase of chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and a 30% increase in hypertension
within a coal mining community. The study concluded,
“The human cost of a coal economy outweighs its economic benefit”.
At what price do we state the monetary gains of a group are worth the loss
of human life?
The loss of a natural forest, habitat and wildlife. The Rosa area was
mined last in 1978 and has only recently rebound from that mining.
There are ponds, creeks and rivers that are inhabited by fish which
will become endangered by toxic discharge and habitat destruction. Several
of these fish and amphibians are listed as federally endangered.
The safety of the mining facilities as well as county residents including
school age children. Mining facilities permits include a 10,000 gallon
diesel fuel tank, prep plant, a coal crusher, screener and a stockpile.
Our county does not have the equipment to handle an accident of any
magnitude. At least two schools, as well as the Cleveland Multi-Needs
center are in close proximity to these proposed operations, with bus travel
daily on the roads proposed for use by loaded coal trucks.
The air quality, as toxins are released into the atmosphere effecting not
only residents but also the school children in the area.
The quality of life for both families and their livestock in the area.
The negative effect on property values in Blount County “the coal mining
Community”, as well as the serenity and beauty of this County.
The concerns a foreign corporation will have, other than monetary, with
Alabama/Blount County land, its citizens, their rights/concerns, safety
and restoration.
“Few experiences affect and confound average citizens more than
having a coal mining operation under or near their homes or community”
A website has been established for information concerning this proposed
mining (www.rosamine.org). I urge you as a citizen, who will be affected by this
operation to write the (ASMC) Alabama Surface Mining Commission voicing your
objections or concerns. I also ask for your
attendance at the public meeting with the ASMC, while
bringing copies of your letters and concerns.
It is by the sheer number of protests and objections that we may be able
to prevail and avoid the issuance of this permit.
If you are unable to attend the hearing or feel uncomfortable
sending a letter to the ASMC , or you have any questions contact me
personally, as I am “A concerned citizen about the Rosa Mine”.
Darrell Clifton
1804 Mountain Gap Road
Blountsville, Al 35031
dlclifto@otelco.net
205-625-6206
We are about to see the destruction of Blount County as we know it.
Residences of Blount County have had previous generations of family living
in the County or have chosen to live here due to the serenity of the area.
THIS IS ABOUT TO BE DESTROYED!
Mcoal corporation, a Canadian based high risk resource exploration
corporation is in the process of obtaining a permit to mine nearly 3,300
acres. This is not only going to effect the County’s landscape, but also the
lives, safety, health and peace of the majority of County residences as well
as those who live in adjoining Counties.
Alabama Surface Mining Commission will hold a public hearing on the issue on
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
6:30 PM
Frank Green Building, Oneonta, AL
The local Government officials have decided mostly to remain neutral. We thus
need the support of each citizen who will be effected in a negative way,
and this includes YOU!
Specific concerns are as follows:
The water quality of local streams being effected by the 60+ waste water
discharge locations. These stations will discharge both coal sludge/slurry,
as well as toxic chemicals into local streams feeding into the Locust Fork
River which flows into the Black Warrior Watershed. This
water supplies Birmingham, Locust Fork, Oneonta, Cullman, Cleveland,
Allgood, and probably you if you live in this area.
The quality and quantity of water provided by private wells as this mining
operation will effect the water table itself. Toxic drainage is also a major
concern for private wells as toxic waste water will be seeping back into
underground water supplies.
The negative health effects. A study at West Virginia University found
there was a 70% increase in kidney disease, a 64% increase of chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and a 30% increase in hypertension
within a coal mining community. The study concluded,
“The human cost of a coal economy outweighs its economic benefit”.
At what price do we state the monetary gains of a group are worth the loss
of human life?
The loss of a natural forest, habitat and wildlife. The Rosa area was
mined last in 1978 and has only recently rebound from that mining.
There are ponds, creeks and rivers that are inhabited by fish which
will become endangered by toxic discharge and habitat destruction. Several
of these fish and amphibians are listed as federally endangered.
The safety of the mining facilities as well as county residents including
school age children. Mining facilities permits include a 10,000 gallon
diesel fuel tank, prep plant, a coal crusher, screener and a stockpile.
Our county does not have the equipment to handle an accident of any
magnitude. At least two schools, as well as the Cleveland Multi-Needs
center are in close proximity to these proposed operations, with bus travel
daily on the roads proposed for use by loaded coal trucks.
The air quality, as toxins are released into the atmosphere effecting not
only residents but also the school children in the area.
The quality of life for both families and their livestock in the area.
The negative effect on property values in Blount County “the coal mining
Community”, as well as the serenity and beauty of this County.
The concerns a foreign corporation will have, other than monetary, with
Alabama/Blount County land, its citizens, their rights/concerns, safety
and restoration.
“Few experiences affect and confound average citizens more than
having a coal mining operation under or near their homes or community”
A website has been established for information concerning this proposed
mining (www.rosamine.org). I urge you as a citizen, who will be affected by this
operation to write the (ASMC) Alabama Surface Mining Commission voicing your
objections or concerns. I also ask for your
attendance at the public meeting with the ASMC, while
bringing copies of your letters and concerns.
It is by the sheer number of protests and objections that we may be able
to prevail and avoid the issuance of this permit.
If you are unable to attend the hearing or feel uncomfortable
sending a letter to the ASMC , or you have any questions contact me
personally, as I am “A concerned citizen about the Rosa Mine”.
Darrell Clifton
1804 Mountain Gap Road
Blountsville, Al 35031
dlclifto@otelco.net
205-625-6206
Thursday, August 27, 2009
I am upset and concerned
Dear Blount Countians who have concerns about the proposed Rosa Mine,
I am upset & concerned that there are no elected officials willing to add their voices to ours.
They may show up at a meeting (looks good/accomplishes nothing), but will they write a letter to the Alabama Surface Mining Commission???
And tell them their constituents are concerned that:
The water we drink may be subject to contamination;
The coal operation will put coal dust in the air we breathe and we will develop lung diseases;
Our barely maintained roads will deteriorate even faster;
Our insurance rates will rise;
Our wells could go "bad";
Our properties could be flooded with a toxic sludge from flooding that only "Mother Nature" can foretell;
Our properties will decrease in value,
Our river, which has been slowly recovering from the last mining operation, will suffer degradation and loss of aquatic life again,
Neighbors, our opportunities to have an impact on the permitting of this proposed mining operation is slim. ADEM has already told us we are too late for them to listen to any of our concerns. The Alabama Surface Mining Commission (ASMC) will hold one public meeting to accept comments and concerns which they are required by law to address. Here is what you can do:
Mail a letter addressed to : Alabama Surface Mining Commission
PO BOX 2390
Jasper, AL. 35502-2390
Permit # P-3931
If any of the concerns above ring true, describe them in detail and ask the ASMC how they are going to protect you in regards to these concerns. Send a copy of your letter to them and to these other public officials:
Chairman of Commission
Probate Judge David Standridge
220 2nd Ave E., Rm 106
Oneonta, AL 35121
District 1:
David Cochran
220 2nd Ave E., Rm 106
Oneonta, AL 3512
District 2:
Robert Bullard
220 2nd Ave E., Rm 106
Oneonta, AL 35121
District 3:
Tom Ryan
220 2nd Ave E., Rm 106
Oneonta, AL 35121
District 4:
Waymon Pitts
220 2nd Ave E., Rm 106
Oneonta, AL 35121
(205) 625-3473
Administrator Chris Green (205) 625-4160
City of Oneonta Mayor Darryl Ray
202 3rd. Avenue East
Oneonta, AL 35121
City of Rosa
Mayor Andy Ellis
62 Ellis Dr.
Oneonta Alabama 35121.
City of Cleveland
Mayor Larry Longshore
Cleveland Town Hall
62732 U. S. Highway 231
Cleveland, AL 35049-3669
City of Blountsville
Mayor Randy Millwood
Blountsville Town Hall
10017 Lee St. W.
Blountsville, AL 35031
Phone: (205) 429-2406
Bring a signed copy of your letter to the public meeting which will be held at the Frank Green Building (ASMC will publish meeting date soon). Come to this meeting with every friend , relative, and neighbor you can lasso. (You can bet MCoal will try to pack this meeting with their beneficiaries). If you can't attend the meeting, send a signed copy to us:
"Concerned Citizens about the Rosa Mine"
PO Box 1133
Blountsville, AL 35031
We will see that your letter (hopefully with a big stack of letters) is recorded and becomes a formal record of comments that the ASMC must acknowledge and respond to.
If our elected officials won't stand up for us- we know what we have to do- elect different leaders!
Jerry Gordon-Hellman
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Sparks to speak Thursday night
Governor candidate Ron Sparks will speak at the Coosa Valley group of the Sierra Club this Thursday the 27th of August. Ron Sparks will speak on the dangers of roadside spraying. It would be a good opportunity to pose questions re ADEM and the future of coal mining along Alabama's rivers.
It is to be at the Joe Ford Center on the campus of Gadsden State Community College, follow I-759 from I-59 to the end and turn right then take first left and Center is 1st building on the right. The event starts at 6:30 pm but refreshments are served around 6:15. Need more info? Call LZ at 205-602-5879
It is to be at the Joe Ford Center on the campus of Gadsden State Community College, follow I-759 from I-59 to the end and turn right then take first left and Center is 1st building on the right. The event starts at 6:30 pm but refreshments are served around 6:15. Need more info? Call LZ at 205-602-5879
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The Truth About Coal Mining
From A Coal Miner’s Sister
There’s lots of rumbling on the mountain these days – down in the valleys, too. Rumor has it that after 40 years, coal mining’s coming back to our community. Neighbors everywhere are fired up – good fired up, bad fired up, scared fired up, mad fired up. Seems the big question everyone is asking first is: how does this affect me personally? And the next question: how does it affect our community? What’s worst case? No one can know for sure, but we can surely learn from others who have been there.
Someone said recently that people want to know more about coal mining, and asked me to share what I know. I’m no expert, but I am a coal miner’s sister, by law. And one of my best friends is a coal miner’s sister by blood. It’s been an intimate way of life for their whole family. So I’ll share what I’ve seen, heard, and read. Maybe it will help folks decide for themselves what coal mining means, up close and personal.
It means good pay, that’s for sure. Miners make good money, because the work is hard and the risks are plenty, which also makes it hard to get life insurance. That risk makes for a real sense of brother/sisterhood among miners. Every time another mineshaft collapses, every miner and each family member feels that fear and pain of being trapped. When there’s an equipment accident, each miner knows she could be next. It was the same when our miner brother was diagnosed with lung cancer, kidney, and liver disease. There’s a sense of camaraderie sort of like in the Marines – a tough sense of commitment to keep going. But we’re told that ultimately, it’s the pay that keeps them going back into the strip mines. And there’s another kind of mining…Rumor has it a Canadian company called MCoal wants to do “auger mining” in our community. What is auger mining? A group of concerned citizens who said they met recently with MCoal leaders described what the company presented to them. “Basically, they plan to drill holes at the base of the mountain which are 4 feet wide, 16 inches high, and up to 400 feet deep,” one property owner told me. “There’s an 18-inch support pillar between each 4-foot hole, with a wider support pillar every 16 feet.” But several citizens who attended that meeting shared with us their concerns about the precision of drilling holes 300 or 400 feet deep – what would keep the drills from penetrating those 18-inch pillars? One concerned citizen told us, “The MCoal leaders admitted there could be integrity risks with the pillar support design. In fact, they told us sometimes there could even be a collapse that traps the auger machine and operator in the mountain. Sometimes the machine stays trapped, and they decide to abandon that particular operation.” While the MCoal leaders described the risks as minimal, the reality and possibility of such risks fueled much concern and discussion among the property owners and citizens present.
“We were also thinking about our neighbors in nearby towns like Oneonta, whose water could be affected. And neighbors whose houses and barns could be damaged from land shifts,” a farmer shared. “How’d they know they’d ruptured a support pillar, or pierced a well water vein that far into the mountain? How would we know it? When our wells ran dry or got septic, that’s how.”
The risks of drilling errors causing water and land damage raised so much concern among the citizens at the meeting that it seems to warrant further dialogue and negotiation at a much higher level. As one grandmother put it, “This affects entire communities, not just the people who live above the ‘coal holes.’ It’s the land we live on and farm, the water we drink the air we breathe. And water and air goes all over, wherever the Good Lord sends it.” Sharing the grandmother’s concerns was a young mother. “I wouldn’t give leasing rights to the mining company ‘cause I don’t want my kids getting sick,” she said. “We already have a lot of kids with birth defects in this county, probably due to the mining that was here 40 years ago – no more!” she cried. “Our land is finally healing - this is our home! Why don’t they just leave us alone?” Another citizen mentioned that she herself had been diagnosed with cancer, as had seven of her neighbors. “We think it’s maybe connected with the mining done here in the past,” she said. Another citizen then talked about the toxins brought into the air when coal hits water and air. “Its poison – that’s all there is to it,” he stated. “In the ground, in the water, in the air, it don’t matter what you try to say good about it, its poison. And Alabama’s air is already a problem for people with asthma and allergies. They don’t need something else taking away their breath.”
Rumor has it that the proposed auger mining operation would be a 5-year project. Several citizens raised concerns about pollution, noise, and even road safety in the coal trafficking area over such a long period of time. Fearing for her children’s wellbeing, a young mother then asked how the company got the right to come into the community in the first place. “Who invited them here to Blount County? They ain’t even an American company! Who gave them permission to mine our coal here? “ she said. “We’re neighbors up here – we’ve got to live together, raise our kids, our cows, and grow our farms and gardens. Nobody would knowingly do this to their own community, especially not to our babies and our kids,” she asserted. And the truth is, mining companies do have to obtain permission from regulators. And they do have to obtain leasing rights from property owners in order to get to the coal. Mining is a profitable business, and coal is a necessary commodity for fuel. Alabama’s coal seems to be particularly desirable because of its purity. And coal is a natural water filter: that’s probably why our natural streams and rivers and our well water is so good and plentiful. It is also why Alabama’s mountains, in the foothills of the Appalachians, continue to attract mine companies like MCoal.
So how does a Canadian mining company come into an Alabama community? I am told it starts with rich investors who want to spend money in order to make more money. With the leadership of a “high-risk” entrepreneur and an experienced “coal snooper-outer” (with Alabama roots…) the tedious permit process begins. But ultimately, mining companies come into communities because elected officials, regulators, and property owners grant them permission to come. And mining companies make money because people like our brother and sister miners are willing to work the mines and risk the health and safety dangers.
But is it the right thing to do, and twice in the same community? That’s the question each person in the “permission pipeline” has to ask his or her self.
Here are some thoughts worth pondering:
Mine operators say, “Property owners have the right to harvest their coal.” Perhaps that is true, but at what cost to their family, friends, neighbors and the environment? Everyone has a God-given right - and a Constitutional right – to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Do I have the right to trump your rights?
Property owners say, “The economy is bad - I gave up lease rights to the mining company because I needed the money.” The economy affects everyone, and we all need money. But when money comes at the expense of another’s life, it’s called blood money. Your own family and neighbors – even you yourself - may become sick, incur property damage, or lose their very lives because you let mining come into our community. The truth is, mining can’t come into this community if you don’t let them.
PROPERTY OWNERS ARE THE ULTIMATE GATE KEEPERS! Can you do this and live with yourself, live in the community, with a clear conscience? Or perhaps you were unaware of the risks of mining? If you believe you made a bad decision because you didn’t have enough information at the time, we invite you to revoke your permit immediately and help educate others.
Elected officials and regulators say, “I have to remain neutral on this matter.” Your citizen constituents disagree with you. You were elected to protect our children, our property, our constitutional rights, and us. If you are unwilling or unable to do so, we invite you to resign immediately and be replaced by a citizen with integrity, courage, good moral character, and true leadership who we can trust to protect the people of our community.
One elected official promised, “Mining will bring in more money for our hospital.” So far, no doctor and no hospital has been able to cure my Brother miner’s lung cancer. And my sister injured in an accident.
Citizens have been told, “Lease information and the permit process is public information.” This is true. Everyone involved in granting permission to mine in our community can be identified through public records. If mining is permitted, citizens are committed to producing a full disclosure to the community.
What is the truth about mining? The truth is, mining is a matter of the heart: the heart of our community, the heart of every family, and the heart of each and every citizen. The choice each person makes to support or oppose bringing mining back into our community - after 40 years and three generations of healing – well, that’s a matter of heart and conscience. And we believe that is the truth about mining.
For more information, visit www.rosamine.org.
There’s lots of rumbling on the mountain these days – down in the valleys, too. Rumor has it that after 40 years, coal mining’s coming back to our community. Neighbors everywhere are fired up – good fired up, bad fired up, scared fired up, mad fired up. Seems the big question everyone is asking first is: how does this affect me personally? And the next question: how does it affect our community? What’s worst case? No one can know for sure, but we can surely learn from others who have been there.
Someone said recently that people want to know more about coal mining, and asked me to share what I know. I’m no expert, but I am a coal miner’s sister, by law. And one of my best friends is a coal miner’s sister by blood. It’s been an intimate way of life for their whole family. So I’ll share what I’ve seen, heard, and read. Maybe it will help folks decide for themselves what coal mining means, up close and personal.
It means good pay, that’s for sure. Miners make good money, because the work is hard and the risks are plenty, which also makes it hard to get life insurance. That risk makes for a real sense of brother/sisterhood among miners. Every time another mineshaft collapses, every miner and each family member feels that fear and pain of being trapped. When there’s an equipment accident, each miner knows she could be next. It was the same when our miner brother was diagnosed with lung cancer, kidney, and liver disease. There’s a sense of camaraderie sort of like in the Marines – a tough sense of commitment to keep going. But we’re told that ultimately, it’s the pay that keeps them going back into the strip mines. And there’s another kind of mining…Rumor has it a Canadian company called MCoal wants to do “auger mining” in our community. What is auger mining? A group of concerned citizens who said they met recently with MCoal leaders described what the company presented to them. “Basically, they plan to drill holes at the base of the mountain which are 4 feet wide, 16 inches high, and up to 400 feet deep,” one property owner told me. “There’s an 18-inch support pillar between each 4-foot hole, with a wider support pillar every 16 feet.” But several citizens who attended that meeting shared with us their concerns about the precision of drilling holes 300 or 400 feet deep – what would keep the drills from penetrating those 18-inch pillars? One concerned citizen told us, “The MCoal leaders admitted there could be integrity risks with the pillar support design. In fact, they told us sometimes there could even be a collapse that traps the auger machine and operator in the mountain. Sometimes the machine stays trapped, and they decide to abandon that particular operation.” While the MCoal leaders described the risks as minimal, the reality and possibility of such risks fueled much concern and discussion among the property owners and citizens present.
“We were also thinking about our neighbors in nearby towns like Oneonta, whose water could be affected. And neighbors whose houses and barns could be damaged from land shifts,” a farmer shared. “How’d they know they’d ruptured a support pillar, or pierced a well water vein that far into the mountain? How would we know it? When our wells ran dry or got septic, that’s how.”
The risks of drilling errors causing water and land damage raised so much concern among the citizens at the meeting that it seems to warrant further dialogue and negotiation at a much higher level. As one grandmother put it, “This affects entire communities, not just the people who live above the ‘coal holes.’ It’s the land we live on and farm, the water we drink the air we breathe. And water and air goes all over, wherever the Good Lord sends it.” Sharing the grandmother’s concerns was a young mother. “I wouldn’t give leasing rights to the mining company ‘cause I don’t want my kids getting sick,” she said. “We already have a lot of kids with birth defects in this county, probably due to the mining that was here 40 years ago – no more!” she cried. “Our land is finally healing - this is our home! Why don’t they just leave us alone?” Another citizen mentioned that she herself had been diagnosed with cancer, as had seven of her neighbors. “We think it’s maybe connected with the mining done here in the past,” she said. Another citizen then talked about the toxins brought into the air when coal hits water and air. “Its poison – that’s all there is to it,” he stated. “In the ground, in the water, in the air, it don’t matter what you try to say good about it, its poison. And Alabama’s air is already a problem for people with asthma and allergies. They don’t need something else taking away their breath.”
Rumor has it that the proposed auger mining operation would be a 5-year project. Several citizens raised concerns about pollution, noise, and even road safety in the coal trafficking area over such a long period of time. Fearing for her children’s wellbeing, a young mother then asked how the company got the right to come into the community in the first place. “Who invited them here to Blount County? They ain’t even an American company! Who gave them permission to mine our coal here? “ she said. “We’re neighbors up here – we’ve got to live together, raise our kids, our cows, and grow our farms and gardens. Nobody would knowingly do this to their own community, especially not to our babies and our kids,” she asserted. And the truth is, mining companies do have to obtain permission from regulators. And they do have to obtain leasing rights from property owners in order to get to the coal. Mining is a profitable business, and coal is a necessary commodity for fuel. Alabama’s coal seems to be particularly desirable because of its purity. And coal is a natural water filter: that’s probably why our natural streams and rivers and our well water is so good and plentiful. It is also why Alabama’s mountains, in the foothills of the Appalachians, continue to attract mine companies like MCoal.
So how does a Canadian mining company come into an Alabama community? I am told it starts with rich investors who want to spend money in order to make more money. With the leadership of a “high-risk” entrepreneur and an experienced “coal snooper-outer” (with Alabama roots…) the tedious permit process begins. But ultimately, mining companies come into communities because elected officials, regulators, and property owners grant them permission to come. And mining companies make money because people like our brother and sister miners are willing to work the mines and risk the health and safety dangers.
But is it the right thing to do, and twice in the same community? That’s the question each person in the “permission pipeline” has to ask his or her self.
Here are some thoughts worth pondering:
Mine operators say, “Property owners have the right to harvest their coal.” Perhaps that is true, but at what cost to their family, friends, neighbors and the environment? Everyone has a God-given right - and a Constitutional right – to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Do I have the right to trump your rights?
Property owners say, “The economy is bad - I gave up lease rights to the mining company because I needed the money.” The economy affects everyone, and we all need money. But when money comes at the expense of another’s life, it’s called blood money. Your own family and neighbors – even you yourself - may become sick, incur property damage, or lose their very lives because you let mining come into our community. The truth is, mining can’t come into this community if you don’t let them.
PROPERTY OWNERS ARE THE ULTIMATE GATE KEEPERS! Can you do this and live with yourself, live in the community, with a clear conscience? Or perhaps you were unaware of the risks of mining? If you believe you made a bad decision because you didn’t have enough information at the time, we invite you to revoke your permit immediately and help educate others.
Elected officials and regulators say, “I have to remain neutral on this matter.” Your citizen constituents disagree with you. You were elected to protect our children, our property, our constitutional rights, and us. If you are unwilling or unable to do so, we invite you to resign immediately and be replaced by a citizen with integrity, courage, good moral character, and true leadership who we can trust to protect the people of our community.
One elected official promised, “Mining will bring in more money for our hospital.” So far, no doctor and no hospital has been able to cure my Brother miner’s lung cancer. And my sister injured in an accident.
Citizens have been told, “Lease information and the permit process is public information.” This is true. Everyone involved in granting permission to mine in our community can be identified through public records. If mining is permitted, citizens are committed to producing a full disclosure to the community.
What is the truth about mining? The truth is, mining is a matter of the heart: the heart of our community, the heart of every family, and the heart of each and every citizen. The choice each person makes to support or oppose bringing mining back into our community - after 40 years and three generations of healing – well, that’s a matter of heart and conscience. And we believe that is the truth about mining.
For more information, visit www.rosamine.org.
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