Strip Mining Industry Analysis

How could the people of a land so rich in natural resources be so poor? This is the enduring question that arises when people think of the central region of Appalachia. This region is very secluded from the rest of the world. The rugged terrain that shapes Appalachian towns alienates them from the rest of society, as many towns are tucked away in narrow valleys (Mountain eagle, Whitesburg, Ky). Transportation into and out of the area is a challenge, especially for truckers and other commercial travelers (Mcquaid). Due to lesser participation in the modern knowledge-based economy, this area had eventually been left extremely impoverished. The region, however, is very lush in coal, which makes it an exceptionally ideal place for mining. Throughout …show more content…
In 1965, the Governor of Kentucky, Edward T. Breathitt made a statement on strip mining, saying that, “Kentucky and its strip mining have reached the “either-or” point. Either coal will be mined by this method, under present law, without undue damage to owners of the surface lands and to others, or the law will be changed to eliminate the industry itself in some sections of the state” (Mountain eagle, Whitesburg, Ky). Coal mining has seriously negative effects on the environment, the health of miners, and the overall wellbeing of the surrounding communities. Although mining is so harmful, it was all the people in Appalachia had. With such little opportunity, people had no choice but to resort to mining; even for the little to no pay it offered (Montrie 65). Overtime however, the coal mining industry that once dominated the Appalachian Region was crippled because of the harmful effects accompanied with it. Critics of the industry argued that miners and surrounding communities faced years of gradual loss of quality of life and health and that the environment faced great destruction (Montrie …show more content…
The mining industry was extremely controversial throughout the 20th century for the many reasons described. It caused various health issues for miners and surrounding communities, and had detrimental effects on the environment. An Appalachian resident, Anita Miller, said “There used to be pine trees, and it was a very pretty shaded area. There was a nice trail that went up the hollow and I used to take my granddaughter up there and we’d go ginsenging [harvesting ginseng roots, an Appalachian custom] on up the hill,” says Miller, whose grandfather built the family homestead in 1920. “She really misses not being able to do that. She said, ‘Can’t we go someplace else? There’s no hills to climb there’” (Mcquaid.) This small statement just goes to show how damaging the coal mining industry had become to the region. Critics of this time argued for the importance of public awareness and urged for changes to be made to improve the conditions in the mines. They believed Workers and communities needed the right to protect themselves from harm, information, and equipment and training to reduce exposure to harmful materials. After many years of fighting, restrictions on mining were created, and the process of coal mining was greatly improved. The industry even declined by the late 1970’s with creation of renewable energy sources (add source). It is important that people are aware of the negative effects of

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