This morning’s email brought me this message from iLoveMountains.org…
Last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed eliminating a streamlined permitting process — known as Nationwide Permit 21, or NWP 21– which allows coal companies to seek quick approval for their mountaintop removal coal mining projects.
Roughly one-third of mountaintop removal coal mining projects are permitted under nationwide permits, which means that eliminating the streamlined rule will help slow the pace of destruction in Appalachia.
The Army Corps of Engineers is accepting public comments for the next 30 days on its proposal, and they need to hear from you.
Please take a moment to tell the Corps that you support ending the streamlined permitting process for mountaintop removal coal projects:
http://www.ilovemountains.org/army-corps/
While the Army Corps of Engineer’s proposal needs to be adopted, it doesn’t go far enough.
After all, when it comes to blowing up our most treasured mountains and destroying the communities of Appalachia, we don’t need better regulations to slow the pace of destruction — we need to just stop the destruction all together.
Photo of Carol Judy’s hands digging bloodrootThe latest video in our America’s Most Endangered Mountains series focuses on Eagan, Tennessee — and illustrates why stopping, not slowing, mountaintop removal coal mining is the only option.
In the video, you’ll hear from Eagan resident Carol Judy, who talks about a ten mile strip above her home where “the mountain has disappeared.”
Think about that. 10 miles of mountaintop — gone forever. And the area below the mountains is equally devastated.
As Carol points out in the video, mountaintop removal coal mining has damaged the ecological foundation that supports the roots she digs in the woods near her home. And the damage extends far beyond the holler where she lives, because destroying the mountains destroys the water and air purification systems that even people living hundreds of miles away in urban areas rely upon.
As Len Brewer, a former surface miner in Eagan puts it, “We’ve made our living, but we’ve destroyed the very place that we love.”
Watch the latest America’s Most Endangered Mountains video. Then, take a moment to forward the video on to your friends and family.
As the people from Eagan make clear, continuing to destroy the place we love is no longer an option. The Army Corps of Engineers should eliminate the streamlined permitting process — but the Obama administration should step up to the plate and end mountaintop removal coal mining altogether.
Thank you for taking action.
Matt Wasson
iLoveMountains.org
Not a particularly pleasant “mountain dream” I know. But something we all need to think about every time we flip a light switch, throw some clothes in the dryer, or if you live where I do, turn the thermostat down another degree in the summer or up in the winter.
Take a minute now and follow the links…add your name to the list of folks that are doing what they can to make sure there are still mountains left to love in the Appalachians…