Kilowatt Ours Topics

Mountain Top Removal

Mountaintop removal is a relatively new type of coal mining that began in Appalachia in the 1970s as an extension of conventional strip mining techniques. Primarily, mountaintop removal is occurring in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. Coal companies in Appalachia are increasingly using this method because it allows for almost complete recovery of coal seams while reducing the number of workers required to a fraction of what conventional methods require.

The US Environmental Protection Agency defines mountaintop removal as follows:

“Mountaintop removal/valley fill is a mining practice where the tops of mountains are removed, exposing the seams of coal. Mountaintop removal can involve removing 500 feet or more of the summit to get at buried seams of coal. The earth from the mountaintop is then dumped in the neighboring valleys.”

–From ilovemountains.org.

Relevant Links:

• EPA.gov: Big Sandy Flood 2001 (see page 9)
• Information on 2001 floods in Dorothy, West Virginia
• Louisville Courier-Journal article on 2001 floods
• Article in WV Gazette about coal mining damage
• Appalachian Voices: National Memorial for Mountains Project

Special Thanks to

This feature on the Kilowatt Ours website is made possible thanks to generous in kind support from Rich Hopkins of New Dawn Productions.