Position Paper on Mountaintop Coal Mining in Appalachia Essay

Position Paper on Mountaintop Coal Mining in Appalachia - Essay Example Therefore, mountaintop coal mining should be reviewed if the cultural heritage and the welfare of the Appalachia communities are to be preserved. This paper explores the impacts of mountaintop mining on Appalachia, impacts that enforcement of regulations by the EPA might have on the future of coal and the extent of reliance on this particular source of coal as well as the opportunities the industry might have moving forward. The Impacts of Mountaintop Mining On Appalachia Socioeconomic Impact Coal mining in Appalachia remains an important contributor to the economy of Appalachia region providing thousands with jobs. However, the disadvantages connected with mountaintop removal coal mining in the region far much outweigh the benefits. Mountaintop removal means no jobs for underground miners and is a huge barrier to the development and diversification of the economy of the Appalachia region. The residents of Appalachia also suffer the highest level of socioeconomic disadvantages. These socioeconomic disparities have been closely link with the impact of coal mining in the area (Hendryx 9). Coal mining in Appalachia perpetuates poverty in the region. ... n Appalachia remains a major contributor of underdeveloped infrastructure, deformed landscape, poorly educated population, chronic ailments among residents and the inability to focus on sustainable businesses (Hendryx 10). Communities near mining sites where mountaintops are blown up are often exposed to strong flash floods. Mountaintop removal mining practice remove trees on steep slopes, which makes water to flow freely from the slopes into the valleys making it dangerous for individuals who occupy those areas. Impact to General Health Appalachia is amongst the unhealthiest palaces to be in the United States. â€Å"Appalachian population experiences higher rates of chronic illnesses compared with the nation as a whole† (Ludke and Obermiller 56). Communities in Appalachia frequently suffer from heart diseases, diabetes, cancer and lung diseases, which are all linked with mountaintop mining. Mountaintop removal mining approach in Appalachia has direct and indirect connections to health issues in the area. Numerous health researches conducted in Appalachia have indicated the adverse impacts of mountaintop removal mining. For instance, one study by Gregory J. Pond indicated that over 90 percent of 27 Appalachian streams were impaired in accordance with Clean Water Act standards. In the same study, it was established that none of the ten streams sampled from none mine areas were impaired (Holzman A478), which indicates the dire consequences of mountaintop removal coal mining in Appalachia. Human health in Appalachian Mountains where mountaintop mining takes place has been deteriorating over the years. The washing of coal requires the use of approximately sixty chemicals including heavy metals, which are intrinsically available in coal. Heavy metals such as lead are known