The People Comment Passionately On
Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining

July 24, 2003

Comments by Patsy Carter, Tug Fork

To the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers---my comments on the Environmental Impact Statement

My name is Patsy Carter and I live on the Tug Fork River. As I watch the beautiful green river, it makes me feel so peaceful and relaxed, then all at once the river turns black from a Massey Coal Sludge spill. I am not against coal mining, but we need to deep mine coal and mine responsibly. There is no need to destroy these mountains and streams and our children's future to mine coal.

I fear for my life and my family's life when it rains. I think of ways to run for the hills for my life, from the floods caused by strip mining. I plan to keep my family pictures close to me so that I can save them.

The strip mining is taking everything from us and our children. They will have no future and will never be able to live as true mountaineers as we have and that is part of our children's heritage.

Under this blackened horrible life we are forced to live with, because of irresponsible mining--- this has made our state "Almost Hell" - instead of - "Almost Heaven." The people in Logan and Mingo county need to wake up.

Stop Mountaintop Removal and stop valley fill mining---stop filling the headwaters of our streams.

Patsy Carter

07/21/2003