iLoveMountains.org -- End Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining




Share this page
Mountaintop removal reclamation FAIL - What 'big coal' won't tell you: 89% of mine sites are NOT used for economic development; 10% of the region, 500 mountains, and 1,160,000 acres destroyed by mountaintop removal mining.

Map Information

What am I looking at?

The Reclamation Fail Map shows the 500 mountains destroyed for coal and how they have been reclaimed- or not.

General Instructions:

Use the tools on the map to navigate around the region. Click on map markers to learn more about each mine site, read community stories, and watch videos about America's most endangered mountains. Be sure to click "Earth" in the upper right hand corner of the map for a 3D view of the region.

Study Summaries

2009 Extent of Surface Mining in Appalachia

Appalachian Voices Logo

With 95% accuracy, analysis shows nearly 1.2 million acres and 500 mountain ridges destroyed as of 2008.
learn more...

2010 Surface Mining Reclamation Survey

Natural Resources Defense Council NRDC logo

Satellite imagery revealed that only a fraction of mine sites are reclaimed for economic development projects.
learn more.

2012 Extent of Surface Mining Update

Appalachian Voices Logo

The Human Cost of Coal map combines a myriad of health and economic statistics with our latest survey of the extent of mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia.
learn more...

TAKE ACTION

Many wonder how coal companies justify blowing up the oldest mountains on the continent. Is it because it's more profitable for them? Because it employs fewer miners? Nope, according to the coal companies, they are blowing up mountains because the Appalachians need more land for economic development.

We put that theory to the test and found that the promise of "reclaimed" flat land for economic development is a big, flat lie. Two 2009 studies by NRDC and Appalachian Voices reveal that 1.2 million acres, including 500 mountains, have been demolished by coal companies in Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee. Over 89% of sites are not currently being used for economic development.

But don't take our word for it. See for yourself how mountaintop removal sites are being "reclaimed" on our Reclamation Fail Map.


List of mountains shown on the map

Follow the links below to navigate to each mountaintop removal site in the map above. You can also download this data set here.