Where's That 250 Year Supply?

Unf∞ckingbelievable!!! The coal industry promises us hundreds of years of coal, and it looks like they're already running low. It's easy to tell they've lied to us. The costs, the risks, and the environmental damage are all rising. Here are two examples:

1. The Bush administration intends to weaken environmental laws and give the coal industry the go ahead to destroy even more of the Appalachian mountains. Mountain top removal is the most destructive form of coal mining. And now they're going to make it even worse. The Federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, OSM, is proposing to exempt coal mining wastes from the 1983 regulation known as the Stream Buffer Zone Rule. This is a sign... This is a sign that the easy sites have been mined already, and the coal industry now wants to change the rules so that they can get to the riskier sites. At risk, what remains of the Appalachian mountains. Unbelievable!

2. The Salt Lake Tribune is reporting that coal in Utah is getting harder to mine. The article reports of “difficult geologic conditions” that the Utah mines are having to deal with now. Since the coal in Utah mines is running low, this would mean that coal availability to coal-fired power plants in Nevada could be reduced to mines in Wyoming. The potential for monopoly like control of Nevada's coal supply is possible. At risk, our pocketbooks. At risk, the coal miners, nine of whom recently died trying to get coal from these riskier sites.

Allow me to remind you once again that there will always be plenty of sunlight and wind, and the price will always be free. Moreover, no one will die in sunlight or wind mines.

We have to fix our systems – now. How could our “brightest” minds be making such stupid decisions? Anyone paying any attention can tell that our “leaders” don't care about doing the right things. Hey, this administration has made torture legal, so why not indiscriminate environmental damage? Can you say “sociopaths?”

From 1992 to 2002, 1200 miles of Appalachian streams were buried under mining waste. If you find it utterly repulsive that they want to allow mountain top removal coal mining to get even more environmentally destructive – and you feel that what pathetic laws that do limit mountain top removal should remain intact, please write a comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Sorry I can't just provide you with a link. They're trying to make this difficult for us. The notice in the Federal Register can be found at www.regulations.gov From there, you have to use their search engine. Scroll down to “Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.” Then press “Submit.” Both the notice and the proposed rules titles start with “Excess Spoil ...” If you click on the pdf icon for the notice, and then scroll down most of one page, you will then find the title “Excess Spoil Minimization – Stream Buffer Zones Draft Environmental Impact Statement.” From there, you can find out where to send your comments.

Good luck, and don't give up. I know this sounds complicated, but once you know how to do this, you can check up on all the new BS regulations. Maybe next time you'll be informing me what they're up to.