Knoxville News-Sentinel
12.8.05
An online poll by the paper showed 91.8% of readers supported this editorial.
Much at stake in petition to block mining
The federal Office of Surface Mining next week will determine if a petition to halt the expansion of coal mining into the New River watershed will be administratively acceptable, prompting a complete environmental study of mining in the area.
The petition was filed about a month ago by the National Parks Conservation Association and the Warioto Chapter of the National Audubon Society. The petition focuses on more than 400 square miles, one of the largest areas considered for a ban on mining.
The parks association and the Audubon chapter contend that further mining in the area would harm the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. The New River is one of two primary tributaries of the Big South Fork, which is protected by state and federal law, and its watershed is a target for new mining.
We are happy to support the groups' petition. As its advocates say, it is time to stop, step back and give serious consideration to the impact that surface coal mining has on the state's streams, rivers and parks. It is not a small thing.
As the nation's energy needs increase, some would gladly place state and federal environmental laws on the shelf, but the tradeoff could have dire consequences for society currently and in the future. Once damaged by heavy pollution, those pristine rivers and forests in Tennessee can't easily be put back together when coal runs out.
If the petition meets the necessary criteria, OSM could stop issuing permits for new mines in all or part of the area. However, even if OSM establishes a ban for the entire watershed, existing mines could continue to operate. A complete review likely would take years to complete.
Don Barger, regional director of the National Parks Conservation Association, said the time is right for Tennesseans to take the look-before-you-leap stance, and the petition - called a "lands unsuitable for mining" petition - accomplishes that goal. "The future of the Big South Fork is at stake," he said.
What needs to be discussed, Barger added, is what the New River area, with its trails, wildlife, hunting and fishing, will look like 30 years from now if mining is expanded throughout the watershed. A thorough environmental review, he said, should measure the cumulative effects of coal mining through the entire watershed for the first time.
The review also will provide a backdrop for discussion of whether reclamation following mountaintop removal is effective.
Certainly there is much riding on the groups' petition, prepared by the Southern Environmental Law Center. We urge the Office of Surface Mining to accept the petition, barring any glaring errors, and allow authorities to conduct a thorough study and to hear the stories of those who are left after the mine operators have pulled up stakes.
