In what could be the swan song of his 12-year legislative career, Sen. Jon Blair Hunter, D-Monongalia, Wednesday gave opponents of mountaintop removal mining a rare opportunity to voice their concerns before a legislative committee.

"In 12 years here, I felt people from the coalfields had not had an opportunity to address the Legislature," Hunter said. "I felt it was important as a people's Legislature to listen to the people."

Wednesday's public hearing drew an overflow crowd to the traditionally pro-coal Senate Energy, Industry and Mining Committee.

Ostensibly, the debate was over Hunter's bill (SB588) to effectively prohibit valley fills by coal operations. Realistically, though, the bill had been dead from the moment it was introduced Feb. 6, with Hunter as its sole sponsor.

"I didn't seem to have a lot of support. I didn't have any co-sponsors," said Hunter, who is not seeking re-election after three terms in the Senate.

He said he was encouraged that a majority of committee members turned out to hear the testimony of those opposed to mountaintop removal mining.

"Hopefully, some of them were as moved as I was," he said.

During the hearing, both supporters and opponents spoke on the bill.

Coal industry representatives stressed the economic impact of banning valley fills.

"The economic devastation would be equal to a modern-day Great Depression," said Jason Bostic of the West Virginia Coal Association.

Bob McLusky, a Jackson Kelly attorney who has represented the Coal Association in numerous lawsuits, said Hunter's bill would not only halt surface mining, but most deep mining as well.

"In 12 years here, I felt people from the coalfields had not had an opportunity to address the Legislature," Hunter said. "I felt it was important as a people's Legislature to listen to the people."

Wednesday's public hearing drew an overflow crowd to the traditionally pro-coal Senate Energy, Industry and Mining Committee.

Ostensibly, the debate was over Hunter's bill (SB588) to effectively prohibit valley fills by coal operations. Realistically, though, the bill had been dead from the moment it was introduced Feb. 6, with Hunter as its sole sponsor.

"I didn't seem to have a lot of support. I didn't have any co-sponsors," said Hunter, who is not seeking re-election after three terms in the Senate.

He said he was encouraged that a majority of committee members turned out to hear the testimony of those opposed to mountaintop removal mining.

"Hopefully, some of them were as moved as I was," he said.

During the hearing, both supporters and opponents spoke on the bill.

Coal industry representatives stressed the economic impact of banning valley fills.

"The economic devastation would be equal to a modern-day Great Depression," said Jason Bostic of the West Virginia Coal Association.

Bob McLusky, a Jackson Kelly attorney who has represented the Coal Association in numerous lawsuits, said Hunter's bill would not only halt surface mining, but most deep mining as well.

"The state will face the largest takings case ... probably ever filed against a state, for billions of dollars," McLusky warned.

However, the majority of the speakers said there is an environmental, societal and moral imperative to protect the state's mountains.

Author and former gubernatorial candidate Denise Giardina said that the Appalachian Mountains are among the oldest on earth, which she said makes them one of God's first creations.

"We, in one generation, are destroying them. Who do we think we are?" she said, pointing a finger at Coal Association representatives in the crowd.

Cindy Rank, with the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, emphasized the societal price of mountaintop removal mining, naming a number of southern West Virginia communities that have been "obliterated" in the path of mining operations.

"The people in these small communities are worth more than that, and deserve more than that," she said.

Environmental lawyer Joe Lovett said federal Environmental Protection Agency studies have projected that a significant amount of surface mining that would be lost with limits on valley fills would be made up with an increase in underground mining.

"We are losing our mountains forever for that amount of coal in the short term," he said.

Hunter, meanwhile, said he hopes future Legislatures will be able to accomplish what he could not.

"I have been a long-time supporter of coal mining, but not mountaintop removal," he said.

To contact staff writer Phil Kabler, use e-mail or call 348-1220.