Yes, Riley, we would never want an energy resource to destroy the state's natural beauty
WV's treasurer lectures us on environmental vandalism
From West Virginia's treasurer, Riley Moore:
We can never let West Virginia look like this! https://t.co/7WTdVrTjjF
— Riley Moore (@RileyMooreWV) April 10, 2022
Especially when it looks like this:
Coal River mountaintop removal site Naoma, WV
((the second image reminds me of antiseptic applied before surgery)) . . .
Posted in: mountaintop removalriley moore
Remember that Department of the Interior study on the health impacts of mountain removal that was canceled last year for no apparent reason?
You’ll be glad to know that Interior’s inspector general investigated why it was canceled
Unfortunately, we still don’t have a reason for the cancelation
On Tuesday, Reuters published an important story on why last year’s major study of the effects of mountaintop removal was abruptly terminated:
The U.S. Interior Department has been unable to adequately explain why it canceled a $1 million study on the . . .
Posted in: mountaintop removal
The skulk* gets larger as the number of hen house inhabitants is about to get smaller
”How can someone with his focus on defending the industry at all costs be the right choice for the federal agency in charge of overseeing that industry?”
The above quote is from Davie Ransdell who was a former supervisor at the Kentucky Division of Mine Permits. Ransdell is talking about J. Steven Gardner who the Trump administration just named to head the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. From Ken Ward, Jr. in this morning’s Charleston Gazette-Mail:
President . . .
Posted in: mountaintop removaltrump administration
Mountaintop removal update
It may not get many headlines but it still continues to do damage
Background for a study
As explained by the New York Times:
Last year, West Virginia officials asked the Obama administration to look into the health effects of mountaintop mining, a technique used to extract underlying coal. . . .
The National Academies assembled a 12-member expert committee to assess “new . . .
Posted in: mountaintop removaltrump administration
Exploring the connection between West Virginia's floods and climate change
Okay, climate and weather are different but climate obviously has a long-range effect on the weather. During and after the flooding which consumed large parts of West Virginia last month, a number of sources explored the connection between climate change and the incredible amounts of rainfall that fell on a large percentage of our . . .
Posted in: climate changemountaintop removal
The Intelligencer rewrites West Virginia history
celebrating West Virginia Day
From this morning's lead editorial in the Wheeling Intelligencer, "Celebrating West Virginia":
For much of our history, the coal, oil and natural gas under our mountains and the timber clothing them served us well.
The Intelligencer is rewriting our history -- most of West Virginia's history . . .
Two recent films of interest
This Changes Everything
From the film's website:
Filmed over 211 shoot days in nine countries and five continents over four years, This Changes Everything is an epic attempt to re-imagine the vast challenge of climate change.
Directed by Avi Lewis, and inspired by Naomi Klein’s international non-fiction . . .
