Mountaintop removal sp 09

Mountaintop Removal Mining

Technology Used

(Andrei's part-reminder to myself)

Alternatives to Mountaintop Removal

(Andrei's part - reminder to myself)

Coal Mining

(Andrei's part - reminder to myself)

Other Energy Alternatives

Wind

The report, The Long-Term Economic Benefits of Wind Versus Mountaintop Removal Coal on Coal River Mountain, West Virginia [1], examined the economic benefits that wind power would have in West Virginia. It calculated the local economic benefits based on number of jobs, earnings and economic output. In addition, the study examined costs due to increased death and illnesses from mountaintop removal mining and the cost of local environmental problems in the future. In addition, it discusses that wind power is not without environmental impact and that the wind turbines will directly affect birds and bats and possibly affect the local wildlife. The report concluded that wind power is preferable to mountaintop removal in Raleigh County. The study claims that the economic benefits of mountaintop removal would end 17 years after mining operations ceased, while the environmental and social costs of mountaintop removal would continue to last. In economic terms, mountaintop removal mining provides $36,000 per year in coal severances paid to Raleigh County, whereas a wind farm would generate $1.74 million in local property taxes annually.

According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)[2], wind power “can be harnessed to be a non-polluting, never-ending source of energy” to meet the world’s energy needs. Furthermore, the AWEA states that in good wind areas over 25 years, a large wind turbine project may offer cheaper energy than any other new power plant. In addition, concerns about the reliability of wind power are not supported with current evidence. In Demark, where over 20% of its energy comes from wind, there has been no loss of reliability of the electrical grid and there has been no need for expensive equipment or energy storage.

References

[1] http://www.coalriverwind.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/coalvswindoncoalrivermtn-final.pdf

[2] http://www.awea.org/pubs/factsheets/WindPowerToday_2007.pdf

Alternatives to mountaintop removal image. http://images.encarta.msn.com/xrefmedia/zencmed/targets/illus/ilt/T629100A.gif

Authors

Applestein, Cara Morgan, Arleigh Rogers, Kelly Vernon, Andrei