Finalist
Antonio Zambardino
Contrasto
"Climate Ground Zero"
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Mountaintop removal is a relatively new type of coal mining that began in Appalachia in the 1970s as an extension of conventional strip mining techniques. Primarily, mountaintop removal is occurring in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. Coal companies in Appalachia are increasingly using this method because it allows for almost complete recovery of coal seams while reducing the number of workers required to a fraction of what conventional methods require.The US Environmental Protection Agency defines mountaintop removal as follows: “Mountaintop removal/valley fill is a mining practice where the tops of mountains are removed, exposing the seams of coal. Mountaintop removal can involve removing 500 feet or more of the summit to get at buried seams of coal. The earth from the mountaintop is then dumped in the neighboring valleys.” The impact of mountaintop removal on nearby communities is devastating. Dynamite blasts needed to splinter rock strata are so strong they crack the foundations and walls of houses. Mining dries up an average of 100 wells a year and contaminates water in others. In many coalfield communities, the purity and availability of drinking water are keen concerns. Volunteers gathered from all aroud the nation to fight against all this and make the DEP and the EPA apply stronger controls, help local resident know their rights and file complaints.
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Rock Creek, WV (USA). An activist of the Climate Ground Zero campaign against mountaintop removal is cutting wood.
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