Term Paper Topics - Environment Effects of Coal Mining in Alabama

The environmental pollution problem has become a nightmare for the world population during the current century. The problem has transformed into a real crisis and the very survival of living species is at stake at certain places. Most of the crisis is self-created and self-escalated. The more mankind has fascinated towards convenience, the more it has created side-problems for itself. All the amenities of a modern and so-called convenient lifestyle have brought along numerous side effects that have proved fatal with the passage of time. The monster of environmental pollution now seems to be beyond control. In my paper I need to focus on the environmental effects of coal mining in the state of Alabama and a comparison of it with similar problems in other parts of the United States. The contents of paper consists of the evaluation and analysis of the problem, the steps taken on public and official level for the containment of the issue, the legal side and policies effecting the case, positive and negative repercussions of the scenario and hurdles arising while tackling the matter.
 

The Problem
The considerably huge mineral deposit of the Alabama has brought it a commanding position among the Southern states. Mining is thus considered to be the backbone of the state’s economy. Large deposits of limestone, iron ore, bituminous coal, natural gas, lignite and petroleum are found in different parts of the state. The coal is extracted from underground mines that are considered to be the deepest in the United States.

‘Alabama's mining industry is vital to the state's economy. It ranked sixteenth nationally in total nonfuel mineral production value and thirteenth in the production of coal in 1999. The value of nonfuel minerals in 1999 was $993 million. The State produced 19,504 thousand short tons of coal in 1999. The industry employs 9,700 workers, with an average annual income of $48,968. Alabama's combined direct and indirect economic gain from the mining industry is $8,061,602,000’.

Coal mining is done in two ways, i.e., surface or strip mining and underground mining. Surface mining is possible for coal deposits situated near to the surface while underground mining method is applied to deep earth deposits. In Alabama both methods are used. The main problems in underground mining are of ventilation and roof support. Sufficient ventilation is essential because of the emission of toxic gases like carbon dioxide and methane. Other harmful effects are caused by coal dust. Underground coal mining is generally considered as the most harmful of all other mining.

The problem caused by coal mining applies to both internal and external environment of the mining operations. Internally it poses a threat to the life and health safety of the workers and outside the mine the safety of the surrounding ecosystem is at stake. Previously the natural gas release from the coalmines was thought to be a major risk and a main waste product. The coalbed gas is now considered more hazardous and has been named as "miner's curse," because it escapes from coal seams and can ignite explosively.

The toxic gases released are responsible for acid rain and greenhouse effects in the environment. It is an undeniable fact that the unregulated or irresponsible surface mining of coal may cause soil erosion, damage from rolling stones, land slides, and stream pollution, increases the likelihood of floods, reduces the value of land for agricultural purposes, can be detrimental to the conservation of soil, and may create hazards to life and property’.

Major Hurdles
Keeping in view the critical nature of the issue, enormous efforts are being made on individual, collective and state level to contain the further spread of environmental pollution. Unfortunately, the excessive efforts made so far have not achieved the expected results. There are number of factors responsible for the failure of which one is the vested interests of the industrial magnates and second is the partiality of the judiciary and executive branches of the government. The irresponsibility of the government is disclosed in a report which says that the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), which is assigned to inspect mines is not performing its duties properly. After an investigation it was revealed that MSHA is unable to carry out its duties due to increase in mining operations and shortage of skilled personnel.

The federal judiciary that was previously known for its impartiality and independence has reportedly become a victim of wealthy right-wing extremists. Consequently, the laws that were supposed to protect the citizens have become ineffective. The election of judges has further deteriorated the scene as they spend huge amount of money to contest election and hence are prey to the free-market extremists. A report by a well-known environmental litigation group, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) says, ‘In the last decade, judges have imposed a gauntlet of new hurdles in the path of environmental regulators, slammed the courthouse doors in the face of citizens seeking to protect the environment, and sketched the outline of a jurisprudence of 'economic liberties' under the Takings and Commerce Clauses of the Constitution that would frustrate or repeal most federal environmental statutes’.

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Influenced by the same precedents, a federal judge in Alabama issued a decision that the federal Superfund law (dealing with cleanup of toxic dump sites) does not apply to closed dumps in areas with no economic activity. He further said that a closed chemical dump is a local real estate matter and doesn’t come in the federal jurisdiction.

Moreover, court decisions during the last few years have deprived the citizens of their right to file environmental suits. The rulings say that individual citizens are not harmed by environmental hazards to the extent that provides a sufficient ground to them for filing legal suits. The non-governmental environment protection agencies are also no more effective to cope with problems since they have no enough roots among the masses that can get them united on a single platform.

Along with the judiciary, the federal government has also been blamed for its negligence towards the safety of coal mine workers and surroundings. A report published in August 2002, says that the Bush administration has proposed mine safety budget cuts and halted regulatory improvements soon after taking office in January 2001. The September 2001 explosion in Brookwood, Alabama that left 13 workers killed was the worst during the last two decades. The administration has also proposed budget cut on MSHA. However the ‘Senator Robert C. Byrd has restored the money that Bush sought to cut from the MSHA budget. In July, Senators Edward Kennedy and Paul Wellstone kicked off hearings to investigate problems with the nation’s coalmine safety enforcement’.
 

Related Policies and Legislation
The people of Alabama have expressed their deep concern over the environmental issue and conveyed their feelings and demands to the federal state authorities. The US Congress has passed various legislations during the past years addressing the said scenario. ‘The National Environmental Policy Act of 1963 set the tone followed by the Clean Water, Clean Air, Endangered Species, and National Historic Preservation Acts. The surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 however, relate to coal operations only. The Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act, passed in December 1969 and expanded in 1977, provided health compensation to miners and set strict controls regarding coal dust, methane gas, escape-ways, roofing, wiring, and other mining hazards.

People from both the groups i.e., the entrepreneur and the workers and common people criticize most of the state legislation made in this regard. The industrialists think that these regulation unnecessarily interfere with their entrepreneurial rights and does not proves much effective in resolving environmental and legal problems of mining. Due to partiality of judiciary, the citizens are also deprived of their due rights.

Effects and Consequences
Coal mining is largely responsible for environmental pollution in its premises and surroundings. Dust produced during mining operations is generally injurious to health and causes the lung disease known as black lung, or pneumoconiosis. Some fumes generated by incomplete dynamite explosions are exceptionally toxic. Methane gas, emitting from coal strata, is always dangerous although not poisonous in the concentrations usually encountered in mine air. Also the rivers, birds, fish and other members of the ecosystem all over the United States are endangered due to the environmental hazards caused by industrial and mining wastes.

The Solution
The extent to which present day pollution has reached, it is now impossible to eradicate it completely but strict measures can be taken to restrict further contamination. Inside the mine an estimated 60 to 75 percent accidents are the result of human error and can be avoided. A strict and active security and safety plan should be put in operation and the workers must be provided sufficient training to use safety precautions to avoid or lower accident rate.

Special treatment measures should be followed to neutralize the acidity of the coal wastes. Substances like limestone, hydrated lime, and soda ash are used to treat acidity. Natural or constructed wetlands are sometimes used along with these substances. Wetland plants have the ability to remove dissolved metals from mine drainage and filter the water.
 

Analysis and Conclusion
Mining is the major source of income and most important means of energy for present and future of the state. Policies and legislation in this context must be such that caters to the satisfaction, needs and benefits of the state, people and mine owners.  Mining operations are considered as one of the main sources of environmental degradation. Solid steps should be taken collectively, i.e., at individual, local, national and international level and awareness of the problem must be created globally. Laws and regulations related to the issue must be strictly complied to and extra precautionary measures should be followed in disposal of mining and other industrial wastes. The statistics shows that the scenario in Alabama is far satisfactory as compared to other states in the United States. However, the states of affairs can worsen if not tackled properly and in time.