[Coach_Owens87]

OK let's look at it from this angle the Environmentalist are concerned about about coal companies filling streams and destroyiing the aquatic life in these steams, so they projest all mining projects. Why is it you never see them protesting Highway projects, they fill in more streams (with the same rock and dirt that goes into hillow fills on surface mines) than any mining operation will. Do you ever see anyone protesting raw sewage going directly into the steams, just drive up any back road or hollow in any county and look at all the straight pipes with raw sewage being dumped into the streams. When your driving anywhere in Eastern KY ever notice all of those small roads cut around the hill sides those are not from mining, those are roads loggers have made to bring the logs to a loading station. Loggers can cut roads anywhere on their leased property go thru creeks with their equipment, and even drag the logs thru the creeks, but do these Environmentlist protest Loggong operations. Why don't these Environmentist ever protest the huge shopping centers being built across the nation (did you ever look at a empty parking lot at the mall and see all of those oil spills, anti freeze leaks on the pavement, did you ever wonder what happens to those spills when it rains where does it go?). My question is why would a true Environmentalist only protest mining operation and turn a blind eye to roads filling streams, raw sewage going directly into streams, all of these other projects.

First off working in the mines makes you no more informed than john who works at food city. In this day and age, all the info we need is availble for everyone to see.

You say I have no ties, which I do, I have numerous family members who work in the mines, and dozens of freinds, I actually have two mine inspectors that I talk to on a regular basis. The only thing that your 27 years experience does it prove that your just as bais as me. I wont mining to stop, you want it to continue.

Ok there sallie, hold up. I asked about mining, and you avoid the question. Yes it's wrong to dump raw sewage into a creek, but there already polluted from mining run-off so both would have to be stopped to make a difference. The raw sewage running into creeks is not as bad as it used to be, laws have prevented that from happening.
We do protest logging operations, they do just as much harm as MTR, but during logging operations, trees can be re-grown rather quickly. Logging does not fill in streams, logging does not flattten thousands of acres of forrest, which changes the run off of water from a mountain and causes flooding. Controlled logging, not Clear cutting, could be a permanent income for this area.

Ok you mention cutting roads, and are comparing that to flattening thousands of acres of land, that just doesn't make sense. Your talking to me like I dont know what eastern ky looks like, I live here, I know about logging, raw sewage and highways, but that wasnt my question to you.
You cant compare oil spills on parking lots to the damage done by mining, come on. Have you ever looked in a creek in this area, look at the orange and black gunk on the bottom, thats magnesium, coal sludge, zinc and other metals from mining. why arent mining companies testing creek waters and doing something to prevent the run off from underground and surface mines. Thats what poising our waters and killing aquatic life, not billy bob changing oil at wal-mart. Research the slurry break in Inez, it was 20 times the size of the exxon oil spill in Buffalo, 300 million gallons of coal sludge dumped into the Big sandy, but no one heard about it. why? Becuase the mining companies kept it as quiet as possible by greatly misinforming people on the damage done. Just think about all the other suldge impound mounts in this area. There just not built to last. Research the Marsh FOrk Elementary school to see just how much coal companies care about the youth and the community.
You never answered my question about mining and the envioronment, quit throwing blame onto other issues, and answer my question straight up. Major Highways, logging, and construction do cause harm, but that wasnt my question.