Washington Post Bashes Coal

As you may know from my profile and my introductory blog entry back on April 5, I am from the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. This region is known for its coal mining. I was shocked to see the Washington Post online article about strip-mined coal that fuels the greater Washington area. The Post and its enviromentalist agenda does not know the truth about coal mining. Coal not just powers cities and towns. It provides jobs for thousands in Appalachia. The people who work in the mines worship God, vote, and pay taxes.

Speaking of taxes, Kentucky imposes taxes on coal that is mined. The coal severance tax funds schools, water/sewer projects, roads, and other needed economic development projects. The coal firms who "blow up" mountains reclaim the land so that churches, schools, businesses, and ballparks can be built on much-needed flat land as well as to plant trees and to restore elk populations.

We can debate all day and all night about the environmental effects of mountain-top removal. But one thing is clear: Take away the coal industry and you take away the economy of the Appalachian region.