Pro-MTR blog post

Mountaintop removal is one of the most controversial forms of coal mining and both sides are arguable. The following are reasons why mountaintop removal can be seen positively.

This method of coal mining creates local jobs for those who live near a mountaintop removal site. Sites are typically found in some of the poorest states in the US, such as West Virginia and Kentucky; the placement of these mines gives residents a chance at employment, employing approximately 1,500 West Virginians as of 2001.

Many environmentalists argue that mountaintop removal permanently damages the land where sites once were. Contrary to that argument, once companies have completed work at a site and it is then deemed unusable to them, they reclaim the land. Reclamation is the process of restoring the land as much as possible by reshaping the mountains, planting trees and other flora, and creating a stable environment for the wildlife. Below is a photo of a former mountaintop removal site that has been reclaimed.

Mountaintop removal is a significant source of energy in the US. Half of the electricity in the US is powered by coal in general. Mountaintop removal contributes to that, and without this method of mining, the statistic would drop significantly. Mountaintop removal is crucial when it comes to producing energy in the US. The following photo shows the abundance of coal mountaintop removal produces.

Mountaintop removal is often much safer than underground mining. When mining underground, miners risk collapses, explosions, deadly gas leaks, and other hazards that miners are unable to escape when trapped underground. Surface mining completely avoids the risk of workers becoming trapped and a larger area makes mistakes less deadly. Safety is better regulated on mountaintop removal sites.

Anti-MTR Blog Post

Mountaintop removal is an extremely controversial topic and can be argued from both sides. However, the opposition seems to be much stronger than those who favor this form of mining and for good reasons.

It is often said that mountaintop removal provides a better job opportunity for miners. However, this is a common misconception. Surface mining utilizes more machinery than manpower, and it takes less workers to power a machine (like the one shown below) than underground mining methods.

Another myth is that surface mining is safer than underground mining. However, this is completely false. Mountaintop removal causes more health problems than any other method of harvesting energy. This includes deaths from on-site blasts to remove mountain surfaces to reach coal seams and the cause of asthma  cancer, and black lung disease from coal dust.

This form of mining causes extreme habitat destruction for the flora and fauna native to the mining site. Peregrine falcons and eastern cougars, both endangered species, are known to live in the areas most effected by mountaintop removal. The method of mining strips away the entire surface of a mountain, thus removing habitats for species.

There are multiple reports of property damages due to coal dust and blasts from mountaintop removal sites. The explosions and hazardous health conditions decrease the quality of life in the surrounding communities, thus lowering the property value. Residents are often unable to move to a better environment because the property is unwanted and often damaged.

Mountaintop removal only accounts for less than four percent of coal production in the US. It is proven that it is ineffective and that underground mining and alternative energy sources produce more energy with less negative effects.

Coal companies often overlook the fact that coal is damaging to the environment. The burning of coal releases a mixture of gases, including nitrogen oxide and arsenic, that pollutes the environment and contributes to climate change. There are green alternatives, such as nuclear power and wind power, that are cheaper and less damaging to the earth's atmosphere.