Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., announced Tuesday that several of his Charleston and Washington, D.C., staff members are on a three-day fact-finding tour, looking at mountaintop-removal mines and coal communities in Southern West Virginia.
Staff members plan to talk with representatives from the coal industry, the environmental community and local concerned citizens.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., announced Tuesday that several of his Charleston and Washington, D.C., staff members are on a three-day fact-finding tour, looking at mountaintop-removal mines and coal communities in Southern West Virginia.
Staff members plan to talk with representatives from the coal industry, the environmental community and local concerned citizens.
"During their visit, they are also expected to evaluate the ongoing flood recovery efforts, and discuss concerns expressed to my office about the impact of mountaintop mining and the severity of damage from the recent floods," Byrd said.
"With the recent announcement from the Obama administration that it is planning to increase federal oversight of the mining operations, I believe it is imperative for my staff and me to hear from all interested parties in West Virginia as we move forward on this debate."
Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said on Tuesday, "It is absolutely great they are coming down to see what modern mining operations look like. They can visit mines that are in compliance with all the laws that have matured over the past 30 years" since the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act was passed in 1977.
"It is important they look at these operations, since the [Obama] administration seems to be trying to undo all the progress that has been made over the past three decades."
Raney said all types of mining have environmental impacts. "Any place you have mining, you will have valley fills.
"But the economic impact is absolutely huge, when you think of the enormous revenues that come to the state because of mining. Today, 20,000 people work directly for the industry, while another 40,000 to 50,000 jobs depend on the industry."
Today, surface mines produce 42 percent of all West Virginia coal.
"What is going on in Washington, with this administration's cap-and-trade legislation, will end up costing everyone in West Virginia more money. It seems really unnecessary," Raney said.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., announced Tuesday that several of his Charleston and Washington, D.C., staff members are on a three-day fact-finding tour, looking at mountaintop-removal mines and coal communities in Southern West Virginia.
Staff members plan to talk with representatives from the coal industry, the environmental community and local concerned citizens.
"During their visit, they are also expected to evaluate the ongoing flood recovery efforts, and discuss concerns expressed to my office about the impact of mountaintop mining and the severity of damage from the recent floods," Byrd said.
"With the recent announcement from the Obama administration that it is planning to increase federal oversight of the mining operations, I believe it is imperative for my staff and me to hear from all interested parties in West Virginia as we move forward on this debate."
Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said on Tuesday, "It is absolutely great they are coming down to see what modern mining operations look like. They can visit mines that are in compliance with all the laws that have matured over the past 30 years" since the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act was passed in 1977.
"It is important they look at these operations, since the [Obama] administration seems to be trying to undo all the progress that has been made over the past three decades."
Raney said all types of mining have environmental impacts. "Any place you have mining, you will have valley fills.
"But the economic impact is absolutely huge, when you think of the enormous revenues that come to the state because of mining. Today, 20,000 people work directly for the industry, while another 40,000 to 50,000 jobs depend on the industry."
Today, surface mines produce 42 percent of all West Virginia coal.
"What is going on in Washington, with this administration's cap-and-trade legislation, will end up costing everyone in West Virginia more money. It seems really unnecessary," Raney said.
Phil Smith, a United Mine Workers spokesman, said on Tuesday, "We have no comment on this for now. Maybe later."
Vivian Stockman, an Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition project coordinator, said, "We're extremely grateful to Senator Byrd. It is awfully nice his staff will meet with people directly impacted by mountaintop removal.
"We hope this trip will help Byrd's office understand the huge hidden costs associated with mountaintop-removal coal mining from flooding to lost communities, from lost economic potential of the mountains to the huge costs of poisoned streams and drinking water."
Stockman said no one has yet done a comprehensive study about the human, health and economic costs associated with "this extreme form of coal mining."
On Wednesday, Stockman and her colleagues will take Byrd's staff members to "see a community that is being dismantled because of mountaintop removal and to other communities to see some flood damage."
"They will be meeting with people who have generations of ties with the coal industry, but who cannot tolerate mountaintop removal."
Rep. Nick J. Rahall, D-W.Va., said, "I was delighted to speak with Senator Byrd today and hear him, as usual, just itching to get back to work for West Virginia and the nation as the senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee."
Byrd went to the hospital on May 15, where he contracted a staph infection. Now, he is getting physical therapy.
"I urged the senator not to rush back too early," Rahall said in a Tuesday news release. "His seniority, his wisdom and his contributions to the Congress and to West Virginia are so extremely valuable that I would much prefer him to regain his strength and come back full force than to ignore the advice of his doctors."
Byrd said he looks forward to talking with his staff about this week's trip to help him "obtain the most up-to-date information on the issue of mountaintop mining."
Reach Paul J. Nyden at pjny...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5164.
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The proof is in history. Take a look at every mine disaster in our history. If you do some research, you'll find all occurred or resulted from underground mining.
I have read comments about this subject that said coal that is mined by the underground method is only met coal. What an absurdity! Wake up people and stop being spoon fed the propaganda of the coal industry! Underground coal has been used for many years to produce electricty, long before the horrendous MTR practice began. Some of us are old enough to know better, and we had family members who worked those underground mines who knew where the coal that they mined went. Most of it went to power companies
But fact is that mtr derived coal is not even close to being the big source of energy for electric power.
The sky will not fall if this abominable practice is outlawed.
There is plenty of recoverable coal that can be mined with less destructive means.
Could it be the coal cabal understands this and that is why they always throw out this argument that with no coal it will be bad.
I suppose somebody, somewhere, has proposed a total ban on all coal mining, but mostly it is just used as a strawman argument.
Until we have something to take the place of coal, reguardless of what that is, discontinuing coal mining, is NOT an option. So for all you anti-coal people, you better start advocating nuclear enegry or ??? or you are in store for more of the same.