Mountaintop removal column full of fallacies

by Alek Duerksen, guest columnist, Collegiate Times

I write this letter in response to Matt Schmitt’s column “Mountaintop mining endangers beauty, economy of Appalachia,” (CT, Sept. 28). I take issue with numerous statements he made in his article, in addition to the overall message. I will address each sequentially as they appeared in the piece.

First, “men in business suits command an arsenal of weaponry with the sole purpose of mining the earth from beneath our very feet.” My first point would be that the earth is not mined from beneath our very feet. Mining companies reach out to landowners long before mining ever starts and negotiate a royalty agreement or property purchase which benefits all parties; land owners must give their express permission before mining can occur.