This article originally provided by KNOXNEWS

March 19, 2008

Legislators lobbied on mining bill by Mattea

NASHVILLE - Country music singer Kathy Mattea lobbied Tennessee legislators Tuesday to support a bill prohibiting surface mining that she characterized as "mountain top removal."

Mattea, a West Virginia native, said she hopes passage of the bill will save Tennessee mountains from the "devastation" occurring in her home state.

Daniel A. Roling, president and CEO of National Coal Corp., said the measure would effectively end all coal mining above 2,000 feet in elevation, which includes much of East Tennessee and National's operations.

If it passes, Roling said, the move will amount to a "taking" of the company's mining rights and investments. A lawsuit will be brought challenging the new law and seeking payment of damages, he said.

"They will sue, but they will lose," said Dawn Coppock, a spokeswoman for Lindquist Environmental Appalachian Fellowship who accompanied Mattea on Tuesday. She said Roling's threat to sue was "saber-rattling."

The bill is sponsored by Sen. Raymond Finney, R-Maryville, and Rep. Mike McDonald, D-Portland. It is scheduled for a hearing next week in the Senate Environment and Conservation Committee.