Oh, Yeah, That's A Great Spot for A Mountaintop Removal Mine!

	Near Ansted, mountaintop removal began before the permit was issued. Photo by Father Roy Crist

Folks in Ansted are busy fighting a mine near Hawks Nest State Park. In late summer, over 80 people attended a public hearing about the permit.

Many of those same people are now researching the permits as they prepare for permit appeals, and they are working to expose the Department on Environmental Protection’s, um, let’s say missteps with the permitting process for this mine.

The company began mining without all their permits and DEP didn’t seem to care. Well, DEP did issue five violations before the site was even permitted. DEP then issues a cease and desist order, but the agency extended that order, meaning the company could go on working.

The mining would be visible from the New River Gorge Bridge – what a way to spoil one of the state’s top tourist attractions!

If big business has its way, the beautiful mountains that surround our quaint little town of Ansted in Fayette County are in jeopardy. Our viewshed is in jeopardy.

The mountains slated for destruction rise between two beautiful rivers, which provide enjoyment, adventure and relaxation for so many, from in-state and beyond – the New River Gorge National River and the Gauley River National Recreation Area.

Citizens across the coalfields complain about strip mining. They say blasting rattles homes and cracks foundations, mud and chemicals are dumped into streams, scalped forests and hills contribute to flooding and valley fill waste piles bury hundreds of miles of streams Is this what we really want? I think not!

Ansted sits along the US Route 60 Scenic Highway. The Old Midland Trail runs through the center of our town.

Tourists come to our community for so many reasons. These include the nationally-acclaimed Blue Smoke Specialties manufacturing facility, the Ansted Cultural and Heritage Museum, the African-American Museum…and many more historical attractions.

Also located within our town limits is Hawks Nest State Park, the crown jewel of all the state parks in Southern West Virginia. The Hawks Nest Rail Trail is enjoyed by visitors and locals alike, who enjoy hiking through beautiful scenery alongside a babbling brook.

These are just a few of the many attractions bringing visitors here already, and the tourism industry in Fayette County continues to grow.

If you visit our area, be sure to cross the famed New River Gorge Bridge, spanning our "Grand Canyon of the East."

When coming from the north on Route 19, look to your right (or from the south, look left). You will see, maybe for the last time, part of a viewshed that is so critical to the beauty of our pristine area.

In the future will we still be known as "The Mountain State"? Or will we be known as "The Wasteland of the East"?

Folks, we’re fighting for our future. Come join us! To get involved, contact Abe at abe@ohvec.org or (304) 633-6976.