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U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander Calls For End to Mountaintop Removal Mining

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

“Our legislation is needed to end [mountaintop removal] before its destruction is so expansive that the Appalachian region can never recover,” said Senator Lamar Alexander in a recent article for The Tennessean.

Senator Alexander said that Tennessee’s natural beauty attracts millions of tourists, generating employment and economic benefits in the state. He said blowing off mountain tops and burying streams with blast debris would harm this industry as well as the health of Tennesseans and their environment.

Senator Alexander and Maryland Senator Ben Cardin recently introduced the Appalachian Restoration Act, a bill in the U.S. Senate that would stop mountaintop removal and valley fills, the practice of disposing of blast rubble and waste in waterways. The bill currently has 11 co-sponsors.

“Coal is an essential part of our energy future,” Senator Alexander said, “but it is not necessary to destroy our mountaintops and streams in order to have enough coal.” Read the full article.

One Response to “U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander Calls For End to Mountaintop Removal Mining”

  1. Jerry D. Greer Says:

    It feels good to read the comments and see the push from Senator Alexander to stop this horrible practice. As a Democrat living in such a GOP stronghold, I know that he is stepping away from his party and going it alone on this issue. I’d like to see more politicians like the Senator do this very thing. Special interest does not have a hold on his vote with issues pertaining to out Southern Appalachians and Blue Ridge Mountains. I applaud him for his efforts and wish him great success on stopping this madness.

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