Mining Pollution

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A September 7th 2011 New York Times article with the headline “Pennsylvania Sues Over Coal-Mine Discharges” by Deborah Weisberg sits at an important intersection of mining operations in the US. This intersection is illustrated by a small icon adjacent to the article with the tag “Politics and Policy”. This tag is indicative of the political nature of most environmental issues today. Coal mining, with its immense environmental implications, is still a lucrative economic foundation of many Appalachian states. While reading online articles about Appalachian mining it was commonplace to see user comments like “West Virginia politicians would strip mine their mother’s teeth if it guaranteed a campaign contribution.” Comments like this indicate a frustration with a political preference of money over real environmental and labor concerns. Tellingly, a historical overview of mining operations worldwide during the 19th and 20th centuries exemplifies that capitalism and technologic innovation were stronger forces than concern for human rights or the environment we live in. In this essay I will focus on the issue that Deborah Weisberg’s article chronicles, West Virginia mining pollution from the Loveridge and Blacksville mines, and explore the historical and geological legacies of West Virginia while attempting to highlight the underlying political factors.

Deborah Weisberg’s article “Pennsylvania Sues Over Coal Mine Discharge” discusses how the “The state of Pennsylvania is suing the energy producer Consol Energy over discharges from two coal mines in West Virginia that killed thousands of fish in a tributary running through both states in 2009. The damage that Weisberg, and initially the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat discuss is devastating:...

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...ayals Consul as well intentioned but disconnected to the present devastating mistakes that are the result of longwall mining operations. Consul has settled with the Environmental Protection Agency and the state of West Virginia for other environmental mishaps paying almost $5.5 million dollars with an additional $500,000 to West Virginia for the restitution of the creek. This is despite the fact that most of the damage occurred in Pennsylvania whom consequently is still undergoing tedious talks with Consul for adequate, and needed, compensation.

Longwall mining in the United States is represents a dual legacy: One of innovation, productivity, and contribution to our continuing industrial revolution. The other legacy is of a still developing technology that irreparably effects our environment and ecosystems while caught in entanglement of money and politics.

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