Can you imagine the Europens allowing the destruction of the Swiss Alps? Are the Appalachian Mountains any less valuable? My grandparents, parents, aunts, cousins, and I lived, worked, and thrived in one of the areas (Sharples, Blair WV) where this mining has been done. Most of the homes are gone, the beautiful mountains are gone, and the rich culture that existed there has been damaged.

State and national governments, where are you? Shame on you! I realize the need for coal in the national power plan (and I generously assume we have one!); but, isn’t there a better way to get the coal? Not CHEAPER…better! And, how can you allow any company to require people to sign statements that they will never move into certain areas where private companies function? This can’t be legal in the United States of America!

I watch the tv show “Sunday Morning” each week and especially enjoy the final segment in which they show the sights and sounds of one of the unique spots in nature somewhere in the U.S. This morning they are showing a spot in CA. What would they focus on in the mining areas of Boone or Logan counties or the Mud River?

What a sad loss to those of us who lived in these areas; but the loss in the long run is even greater to our nation. I commend those folks who were involved in creating the video clips of this travesty that I have viewed on Google Earth. Thank you for informing those of us who have not witnessed it first-hand.