Why is MTR or Mountaintop Removal bad?
The old-fashioned method for mining coal is closely regulated by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, and dumping of mining debris into rivers and streams is prohibited under the Clean Water Act. But during the Bush administration a workaround was created by which mining companies could apply for strip mining permits (MTR is one type of strip mining) directly to the Army Corps of Engineers. Strip mining is appealing to big coal companies because it removes one of their greatest expenses and liabilities – miners. In the past 3 decades there has been nearly 30% job losses in the industry, while production of coal has increased in the U.S. by 32%. Much of the coal extracted by MTR is shipped to China for steel production. In essence, companies like Massey Energy and Arch Coal are fueling China’s industrial revolution by providing them with cheap coal, with the environmental and human health impacts being born by the American public.
