Activity 3.2.2.1 - Non-Renewable Energy

1. Exploratory

Mountaintop removal (MTR) is a form of mining used to mine coal which clear cuts Appalachian forests, then after explosives are used to remove up to 800 feet of mountain elevation. Because of this over 500 mountains have been removed, and rocks and soil are dumped off the sides which has buried over 2,000 miles of streams.

The environmental hazards that occur within MTR areas (Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia) can cause people living amongst these areas to have a greater chance of developing diseases and other potential hazards.

2. Diagnostic

The reason that MTR is used because coal companies can use draglines to remove huge deposits of coal and other debris whilst also digging large holes for explosives rather than workers doing it making it safer and cheaper for them. Draglines then take the excess debris and dumps it into nearby rivers and streams. Explosives are poured into these holes (about 1,500 tons in West Virginia per day).

3. Cause and Effect

Because of the explosives used to mine and chemicals used to treat the coal before it is shipped out are dumped into river and streams this makes the water around these areas contaminated with metals, sulfates, other impurities, and causes air pollution. Because of this types of conditions people were living in the effects can cause them to have significantly higher rates of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and especially lung cancer. Other ways it affected communities is it raised the rate of birth defects along with had mortality rates at about 1,200 excess deaths.

4. Priority:

MTR areas need to more well regulated when it comes to the environment. It was found by Michael Hendryx that violations of drinking water standards were seven times more common and that particulate matter in the air is higher in these communities. Dust containing a mixture of high levels of silica which is a known in lung carcinogen.

5. Application

In San Antonio, companies use explosives to dig up to quarry which could also have the same effects on our air and especially water quality. Since San Antonio is under the Edward’s aquifer the use of explosives can cause debris and chemicals to be added into the aquifer which can harm our water supply.

6. Critical

After watching and reading about mountaintop removal I have come to realize that for such a barbaric and destructive way of mining not much comes from it. In the video Michael states that MTR only contributes to about 3% of the US electricity demand, but for this 3% of electricity produced a year over 500 mountains and 2,000 miles of streams and rivers were destroyed. Michael also states teh political sides of things saying how he showed his research to public officials, but people invested in these companies would come for him and try to get him to take his research down showing that people don’t care about the effects of anything as long as they are getting a paycheck for it.

Work Cited:

Hendryx, M. (2017). The shocking danger of mountaintop removal and why it must end. TedMed. https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_hendryx_the_shocking_danger_of_mountaintop_removal_and_why_it_must_end#t-770190