[Old School]

I'm just informed, not blinded to the truth like you.You accuse me of giving biased info from environmental groups but yet all you give is crap fed to you by the coal industry.

Yes over 50% of our power comes from coal, it's actually more around 60% but what does that prove, nothing, just that we are dependent on coal.

You really think coal companies give a crap about you or this region? not really. You miners work so hard for nothing.

The coal severance tax, enacted in 1972 to help this region hasn't changed since. It still sits at 5% per ton. But that 5% goes into a general state fund, the majority of it never goes back to the counties the coal came from. here is an example "Flecther left in the budget $3.4 million in projects funded with coal severance dollars for Butler County,a county that produced no coal last year" (http://withinreason.blogspot.com/2006/06...e-tax.html)

Your coal company may plant trees, good for them, but the majority do not, reclaimatioin is a joke. by the latest evidence nearly 80% of all mine sites do not meet federal requirements for reclamation under the SMCRA.

Coal wont last forever, and as DW stated we are a smarter generation than those before us. We have the ability to use cheaper more efficient energy sources, so why not use them.

CO87 Out of my three post on this thread tell me what info. came from Coal Companies.
My carbon footprint info came from 3 different Environmental Sites, the 55,000 trees that were just planted came from my job site, my idea of not buying into purchasing carbon offsets is my personal opinion and you agreed with me that over half of the nations electricity is produced from coal.

CO87 You ask me if I really think that Coal Companies give a crap about me and our region.
I can honestly say yes I do, now let me explain why, some of owners live in this area, some live in other states and some of the larger coal companies are owned by investors either way the Presidents or General Managers that manage the daily operations live in this area. Most Coal Companies give back to their communities, here's a few that I have been involved with: working with 10-15 fellow workers at local schools to paint, repair or install new playground equipment, landscaping, concrete work etc. I have worked for coal companies that were "Partners in Education" this included donating money for school trips, purchasing supplies, they have also taken small equipment to help with the athletic fields.
One company had a employee dress up every year as Santa Clause and they would buy gift to give to the kids. The Coal company paid for everything.
Here a story you will be interested in OC87. Annually since about 1996 our company has hired a contractor to take a back hoe and dump truck and assist the local Watershed Group clear debris from a 3-4 mile section of a large creek that runs through the community. Over the years they have picked up +100 tires, over 80 tons of plastic bottles, plastic bags, dirty diapers and other trash that had washed down stream over the years. Several Coal Companies have projects similar to these.

CO87 you brought up the Coal Severance Tax.
I agree with you, more of the tax monies should be sent to the producing counties, but remember the Coal Companies just pay the tax they have no input on how the money is distributed.

CO87 You say the land has been distroyed?
You may want to run down to the Property Valuation Administrator's office in any county and you will see that reclaimed mining property particularly the level land created by mining is assessed at a higher rate than hillside property.
Eastern Ky and Southern West Virginia have a huge need for flat land above the flood plain. I agree that we need to do a better job of utilizing the reclaimed properties we now have, one thing is that we need is better access to these properties. What manufacture would want to relocate to this area when they have to travel narrow back roads to and from their factory.

CO87 You say my company may plant trees others don't?
All Coal Companies have to have a reclamation plan and a tree planting plan in their mining permit and it has to be approved by the state. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this law.

CO87 So You say reclaimation is a joke?
I'm not sure what jobs you been on (if any) but we have inspectors in our jobs daily (yes I mean 4 to 5 days a week) checking our mining and reclamation practices. Legally a company is only allowed to distrub a certain percentage of the permitted acreage, after that number is reached they have to have portions of the distrubed area reclaimed before they are allowed to distrub any more acreage. By the way where did you come up with 80% of all mine sites not meeting Federal Requirements come from. Did you pull that number out of your hat also.

CO87 Cheapier and more efficient energy sources?
As I said before I have no problem with alternative energy, but the enviromentalist are wanting to shut mining down today. Tell me if we stop burning coal today what will take it's place tomorrow. As of today solar and wind energy cannot produce 50% of the Nations electricity. My suggestion is to develop another source of energy that can replace coal before kicking it into the weeds.