Could a public ecology approach help resolve the mountaintop mining controversy?

Craynon, John R.; Sarver, Emily; Robertson, David P.

doi:10.1016/j.resourpol.2012.08.001

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…A sufficient-yet difficult to attain-condition is to provide the stakeholders with a benefits package that exceeds the hard coal extraction costs borne by the residents and environment. Having in mind that the protests of local communities or environmental societies often lead to stoppage of extraction, one can clearly state that social and environmental conditions significantly influence the decision-making process on the commissioning and continuation of extraction in underground hard coal mines, and determine their developmental opportunities [35,36].…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Method for Assessing the Development of Underground Hard Coal Mines on a Regional Basis: The Concept of Measurement and Research Results

Jonek-Kowalska

2018

Energies

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The functioning and development of the extractive industry depends on many unusual conditions that are not found in other industries, such as the size of deposits, the level of natural and technical hazards, geographic location, or the method of mineral extraction (open pit or underground). Therefore, it is difficult to use universal development assessment methods for such specific production units. As a result, the research undertaken in this article aims to develop an indicator method for evaluating the development potential of underground hard coal mines. This method is based on a theoretical and practical analysis of the conditions of functioning of hard coal mines, expert research, and multiple case studies verifying the operation of the presented development indicator. The first part of the article is devoted to identifying and analyzing the criteria for assessing the functioning of underground hard coal mines. Next, the essence and methodology of creating and interpreting the proposed indicator was presented. The second part of the article is empirical, and contains the results of the assessment carried out using the developed indicators for five Polish hard coal mines for the years 2011-2015. The results of the research indicate that the most important factors in the development of hard coal mines relate to the geological and mining conditions, and those concerning natural hazard levels. However, during the functioning, the financial conditions and related production conditions, which ultimately determine the survival and development of underground mining plants, gain in significance.

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Method for Assessing the Development of Underground Hard Coal Mines on a Regional Basis: The Concept of Measurement and Research Results

Jonek-Kowalska

2018

Energies

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“…In this vein, calls for more inclusive approaches to decision-making and problem solving have been tendered with emphasis on meaningful public participation in questions of ecosystem valuation, post-mining land use, and community development [18] in Central Appalachia. To address community problems, environmental and sociological characteristics must be defined, which will allow the specific needs of regional communities to be outlined.…”

Section: Economymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In some cases, sub-groups are isolated from each other (e.g., various NGOs or community groups that may operate within the region.) Even within governmental organizations, responsibilities are split between federal agencies, state agencies, and local entities, which can create a complicated bureaucracy that impedes the communication process [18]. Conflicts between and within various groups can often stand in the way of progress.…”

Section: The Need For Resource Alignmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Putting Corporate Social Responsibility to Work in Mining Communities: Exploring Community Needs for Central Appalachian Wastewater Treatment

2015

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Due to the finite nature of non-renewable mineral and energy resources such as coal, resource extraction is inherently unsustainable; however, mining and related activities can contribute to sustainable development. Indeed, the principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR) require that mine operators design and conduct their activities in ways that provide for net positive impacts on surrounding communities and environments. In Central Appalachia, there appears to be a particularly ripe opportunity for the coal industry to put CSR to work: participation in sustainable solutions to the long-standing problem of inadequately treated wastewater discharges-which not only represent a potential human health hazard, but also contribute to the relatively high incidence of bacterial impairments in surface waters in the region. In this paper, we outline the underlying factors of this problem and the advantages of industry-aided solutions in a region where limited economic and technical resources are not always aligned with social and environmental needs. We also suggest a framework for problem-solving, which necessarily involves all interested stakeholders, and identify the primary challenges that must be overcome in pursuit of sustainable solutions.

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“…Surface coal mining, as practiced since the 1970s in the coalfields of the Central Appalachian region in the U.S. (Bernhardt et al 2012;Craynon et al 2013;Griffith et al 2012), generates large volumes of overburden, which has typically been disposed of in valleys (Griffith et al 2012). It is estimated that surface coal mining affects ≈4,000 km of streams and 6.8% of the region's land by modifying the natural landscape, water, and air quality (Lindberg et al 2011;Paybins et al 2000;U.S.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the Impact of Removing Select Materials from Coal Mine Overburden, Central Appalachia Region, USA

Pinto¹,

Al-Abed

Holder³

et al. 2017

Mine Water Environ

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The exposure of readily soluble components of overburden materials from surface coal mining to air and water results in mineral oxidation and carbonate mineral dissolution, thus increasing coal mine water conductivity. A conductivity benchmark of 300 μS/cm for mine water discharges in the Appalachian region has been suggested to protect aquatic life and the environment. A USGS screening-level leach test was applied to individual strata from three cores collected from a surface mine site in the Central Appalachian region to generate preliminary conductivity rankings, which were used to classify strata for two disposal scenarios: (i) Unmodified Scenario, which included all extracted strata and (ii) Modified Scenario, which excluded 15% (by mass) of the overburden materials with the highest conductivities. We evaluated overburden leaching conductivity using EPA Method 1627 in 18 dry-wet cycles, generating conductivities of 1,020-1,150 μS/cm for the Unmodified Scenario and 624-979 μS/cm for the Modified Scenario. Hence, overburden segregation was successful in reducing the leachate conductivity, but did not reach the proposed benchmark. The leachate was dominated by sulfate in the first four cycles and by bicarbonates in cycles 5-18 in columns with higher sulfur content, while bicarbonates were dominant throughout experiments with lower sulfur content in overburden. The use of conductivity rankings, isolation of potentially problematic overburden strata, and appropriate materials management could reduce conductivity in Central Appalachian streams and other surface mining areas.

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Could a public ecology approach help resolve the mountaintop mining controversy?

Cited by 6 publications

References 16 publications

Method for Assessing the Development of Underground Hard Coal Mines on a Regional Basis: The Concept of Measurement and Research Results

Method for Assessing the Development of Underground Hard Coal Mines on a Regional Basis: The Concept of Measurement and Research Results

Putting Corporate Social Responsibility to Work in Mining Communities: Exploring Community Needs for Central Appalachian Wastewater Treatment

Assessing the Impact of Removing Select Materials from Coal Mine Overburden, Central Appalachia Region, USA

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