Live Fire with Chuck Holton

I’ve had tons of feedback on my story about Surface Coal Mining, from both sides.  This is definitely a controversial subject whose supporters and detractors are equally passionate.  I’m grateful to Massey Energy for allowing me to tour a surface mine, and also grateful to the environmentalists who helped with this piece – Judy Bonds of Coal River Mountain Watch and especially Mike O’Connell of Haw River Films, who along with David Novack of burningthefuture.com provided b-roll materials of anti-MTR protests.

After hearing both sides, I found good arguments all around.  Nobody likes having the mountains where they grew up dismantled and blown apart, and yet our country needs the coal.  The coal companies work very hard to put things back once they are done and minimize their impact, but they could probably do more.  I think the environmentalists sabotage their own argument at times by the vitriolic way they present their case, as if coal companies are inherently malevolent and anyone who disagrees with the Anti-MTR crowd is in bed with Massey.  That’s extremist and just not true, and reasonable people know it.

I’m also concerned that some of these groups are receiving grants from foundations and perhaps even the EPA (indirectly) and then using the money to pay for their legal expenses incurred by breaking the law.  Something about that doesn’t seem kosher and begs for further scrutiny.

I once heard that the mark of good journalism is when both sides are mad at you once the piece is done.  If that’s true, then this piece should win an award of some sort. 

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