Watch a video of McCain's response

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Republican presidential candidate John McCain said this week that he supports eliminating mountaintop removal coal mining.

McCain offered his view during a campaign town hall meeting Monday night in Orlando, Fla.

"I do," McCain said, when asked if he supports "eliminating mountaintop removal mining and the practices like that."

McCain went on to say that he's "seen a dramatic improvement in the behavior of the coal companies."

"They are doing a much better job," McCain said. "Now it's not perfect, but it certainly is dramatically improved from what it was some years ago."

McCain's comments came a week before a federal appeals court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the latest in a series of court cases over mountaintop removal.

Later today, environmental groups are planning a rally at the state Capitol to urge Gov. Joe Manchin to block Massey Energy from strip mining a Raleigh County site where they would prefer to see a wind-power facility built.

Officials from Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign did not immediately respond to questions about McCain's comments.

Last year, Obama had encouraged mountaintop removal opponents when he mentioned the issue during an August 2007 speech in Lexington, Ky.

"We're tearing up the Appalachian Mountains because of our dependence on fossil fuel," Obama said, according to a story in the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Read more in Wednesday's Charleston Gazette.

Watch a video of McCain's response

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Republican presidential candidate John McCain said this week that he supports eliminating mountaintop removal coal mining.

McCain offered his view during a campaign town hall meeting Monday night in Orlando, Fla.

"I do," McCain said, when asked if he supports "eliminating mountaintop removal mining and the practices like that."

McCain went on to say that he's "seen a dramatic improvement in the behavior of the coal companies."

"They are doing a much better job," McCain said. "Now it's not perfect, but it certainly is dramatically improved from what it was some years ago."

McCain's comments came a week before a federal appeals court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the latest in a series of court cases over mountaintop removal.

Later today, environmental groups are planning a rally at the state Capitol to urge Gov. Joe Manchin to block Massey Energy from strip mining a Raleigh County site where they would prefer to see a wind-power facility built.

Officials from Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign did not immediately respond to questions about McCain's comments.

Last year, Obama had encouraged mountaintop removal opponents when he mentioned the issue during an August 2007 speech in Lexington, Ky.

"We're tearing up the Appalachian Mountains because of our dependence on fossil fuel," Obama said, according to a story in the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Read more in Wednesday's Charleston Gazette.