Whose Security are They Talking About When They Say Homeland Security?

I attended a stakeholders meeting to review the WV Homeland Security All Hazards Mitigation Plan. Much of the plan is focused on mitigating flood risks, which is good. However, a US Army Corps of Engineers representative wanted to remove one of the hazard categories called "Resource Extraction Best Management Practices."

He claimed that public perception of the coal industry had them painted as "bad guys" and a separate hazard category impacting the coal industry was not needed in the plan. I went ballistic. Finally, the group compromised and kept the category in the plan, but renamed it "Land Disturbance Best Management Practices." Fine. The definition stayed the same, and includes the logging and coal industries.

If anything, the US Army Corps of Engineers are the real "bad guys" for allowing the coal industry, through mountaintop removal, to impact the waters of the United States, including wetlands.

I also handed in a written comment that sludge/slurry impoundments needed more study under Homeland Security due to their possible risks from failure due to future, stronger storm events we can expect with global warming.