[Coach_Owens87]

OC87 The photos I spoke of where taken after reclamation, and during the spring, so everything was in full bloom, all that could be seen along the ridges where barren land. Some sites had fescue grass, there root system fights against those of the native trees and makes it nearly impossible for a forest to return.

I need to get out of the big city, lol, last time I checked Hindman Ky was not a "big city", Ive lived in eastern KY all my life, Ive never left my roots.

I know that companies are supposed to put things back, but don't kid yourself and say that they do. Yes some do, but a lot of companies don't. Many companies open subsidiaries, mine a place, and then shut down and move on to another site and do the same thing. I know you say they are flagged and that they have to put up bond money, I know all of that, they put up money, a majority of the amount required to reclaim before they mine, if they shut down, the state then takes over and reclaims. The whole crap about not being able to mine again is bull, yes the subsidiary cant mine, but the head company just moves on.





You can give me all the rules, and regulations from the coal companies that you wont. You can also say that I want to end all mining jobs, and scare people into believing you, it's what you guys do best, but It doesn't matter, I know the rules, I'm just trying to tell you that a lot of coal companies aren't obeying laws and trying to get a good citizen award.

Yeah yeah yeah, coal companies do great things for the communities, the only reason they do that is to keep a good image with a community that is already feared into thinking life cannot go on without them. Thats like saying the mob done great things for the communities in Chicago, or that the terrorist who give money for schools in their region are good people. Them donating money, and doing community projects does not make up for the atrocities they are causing in Appalachia.

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Since you live in Hindman, and you say there's not a problem with sewage going directly into the streams, Could you do me a favor and find out how the county and city solved this problem, because I know of at least a dozen counties that would love to find a sulution to this problem.

Man either your as stubborn as a ole mule or just refuse to admit that you understand. One more time, COAL COMPANIES HAVE TO RECLAIM ANY PROPERTIES THAT THEY HAVE DISTRUBED, It's the law. As I explained with the Applicant Violator System. Here's a example, now try to follow along with me, John Doe is the owner of Big Coal Co., now Big Coal Co. is the parent company of Small Coal co. and Small Coal Co. is the parent company of Coach Owens Coal Co. When Coach Owens Coal Co. applied for their mining permit they would list John Doe as the owner of Coach Owens Coal Co., now for some reason Coach Owens Coal Co. goes into bond forfeiture, that means that John Doe's name is flagged on the Applicant Violator System and as long as he was listed as a owner or principal officer he would never be granted a mining permit anywhere in the United States. I personally know of one man that let a permit go into bond forfeiture in the 70's and until he retired a few years ago he was never able to obtain a mining premit and could not be hired as a officer with any company.

Another interesting point is when you have subsidiary's like this, if just one of the companies let's say Coach Owens Coal Co. has a unpaid fine or fee overdue then all of the companies owned by Big Coal Co. and John Doe would be permit blocked which means no permits will be approved until all fines or fees have been paid.

Would you please make up your mind, one time you say that coal companies don't care about this region, their employees or the community and all their concerned about is the money. We then give you infomation about them doing work around the area and donating money to local groups, now you the money that they donated is blood money and does not make up for the atrocities they are causing in Appalachia. It sounds like to me that no matter what coal companies do it's not going to good enough for you.

It's funny that you say I'm trying to scare people into believing me, and when ever you turn on the TV or pick up a newspaper someone is crying about fossil fuels destroying the earth. What about Al Gore traveling around the World telling everyone that we have to stop burning coal and stop emitting co2 during the next 6-8 years or the Earth will be doomed, and Gore telling people that the oceans will rise 20 feet and thus wiping out New York City and the whole Eastern and Western Costal areas. Oh yeah I see where I'm trying to scare everyone.[/QUOTE]

Old school, you're not understanding what I've been saying. I never said running sewage into a stream wasn't a problem, just that it's not as bad now as it used to be. Coal companies need to take responsibility for the damages they cause.

I know land must be reclaimed, Ive stated that. We can argue all day about that, all ive ever tried to state is that something needs to be done to make coal companies obey all the laws, which doesn't really matter now that George Bush changed the clean water act by changing the meaning of what can be dumped into streams.

Im not an idiot, I understand the law youre explaining to me, but youre being the stubborn one. You know as well as I do that all coal companies do not follow the laws. If they did, no one would complain. There's so many loopholes around the laws you speak of that it is very easy to get by with things.

Did I ever say that Al Gore doesn't try to scare people, UMMM no, but he does it with scientific fact. Does his actions make him look like a hypocrite? Yes, But thats not part of this debate.

And as far as the money coal companies donate, it doesn't matter, they are still out for number one, just like any other company. They get tax breaks for donating money like that, do you really think they would donate money out of the kindness of their heart. The point I was trying to make, which seems that no one can think deep enough to get is that big companies are out for themselves. I'm not so harsh that no matter what they do I will hate them, which is what you're claiming that I do. Thats just no so, the thing is that I just cant find myself defending a company that is destroying one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world because they donate a little money to communities to get critics off their backs. TECO gives money to the sorry excuse for a clean-up organization PRIDE, they say they are environmentally friendly, even though they have a terrible record for being the opposite. I just cant see myself defend such companies just becuase they give a little money to receive a tax break.