TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Absolutely no criticism of the thread intended by my remarks concerning strip mining and mountaintop removal - just hoping we move past coal to other less polluting forms of energy and more environmentally friendly methods of production.

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

For every ton of coal mined there is a $10 tax, that money used for reclaiming pre 1974 mining operations. In my county an area that was mined approximately 1940 was reclaimed like 3 years ago.

As for the mountain top removal, it will be reclaimed after mining operations cease. In the meantime, retention structures (ponds) have been built to prevent any sediment from leaving the site. After the area is reclaimed, vegetation will be reestablished and after a period of time to allow the vegetation to become established (usually 10 years around here) the land will be “released” back to its landowner who can then do with it as they please.

As for hard rock mining sludge ponds in the Rockies that are contaminated with mercury, sometimes the best thing to do is to do nothing. Disturbing the area only stirs up tainted sediments and puts them back into suspension, polluting water sources.

In the old days natural resources were to be used up and then move on to the next area with no regard for tomorrow. Today forests are replanted after logging, mined areas reclaimed and soil conservation measures applied to farmland to retain its productivity. The good old days were really that good environmentally.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Just curious: what does reclaiming mean after the top of a mountain is removed by mining? (Not arguing, genuinely asking)

Now on the other problem with coal compared to burning natural gas to generate electricity:

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, natural gas emits almost 50% less CO2 than coal. Different types of coal produce different amounts of CO2 while burning.Nov 20, 2020
Natural gas: 117.0
Coal (anthracite): 228.6
Coal (bituminous): 205.7
Diesel fuel and heating oil: 161.3

So until (and if) we ever get to the point where burning fossil fuel to produce electricity is unnecessary, and assuming reducing CO2 is a good thing, it appears we should be moving away from coal as soon as possible. This isn’t news to US utilities who are rapidly moving to gas from coal (last I looked, ~ 22% is still generated from coal), but it’s a big issue in countries such as China where the number is more like 60%.

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

As for reclaiming a mountain top, I’m sure it will be shaped and seeded. No way will it look the same. I’m not promoting strip mining, just posting information that I’m sure many people are unaware of.

Most of us are against government “interference”, but were it not for that interference, productive land would still be destroyed, forests stripped but not replanted and Lake Erie would still be too polluted to swim in or fish in.

It’s bad enough that in the US approximately 2,000 acres of farmland are built on or paved over every single day. Everyone wants a house in the country, but they never consider that building their house reduced the food supply for everyone. Look at present day and historic satellite imagery of the Phoenix area and you will see that thousands of acres of farmland are now houses. Like it or not, genetically modifying plants is the only way we will be able to keep the ever growing world population fed.