I belong to CRMW coal river mountain watch. We are losing so many beautiful mountains to this type of mining. It makes me cry when I see and hear stories like this film. We need change in our government that is for the people not industry. Our only chance is for God to stop it his way, and save his creation for us to enjoy until his return.

How important is it that the quality of our water is being hurt by the filling in of our headwater streams in the process of Mountaintop Removal? How important is it that our mountains will never be back again? How important is it that with the damaging effects we see happening from Mountaintop Removal, the areas that are loosing their mountains and suffering the devastation of their environment most directly are also just moving deeper into poverty? Who cares?

I care. It is pitiful. I am going to try to help by joining KFTC and trying to influence our politicians to be responsible for the peoples future more that the coal companies.

We care about our mountains our people and our culture that is why we work so hard to expose the industry. It is not the people who love and care for our earth that calls blowing up the most ancient mountains on earth reducing them to rubble creating anything cheap. Nothing cheap about it it is just that we the people are paying the true cost.

I grew up in Martin County and you talked in the presentation like the surface mining was a bad thing. I can tell you that if it weren't for Coal Mining there wouldn't be a Martin County. All of the younger generation is leaving because there aren't many jobs left. Jobs that wouldn't have ever been there if it weren't for mining. I count myself lucky to have been able to grow up there and enjoy the mountains and the surface mines. There wouldn't have been access to these areas if it weren't for the surface mining and their roads.

Your presentation talks about enjoying your mountains. That's fine, enjoy YOUR mountain nobody is making you sell YOUR mountain. As for the mountain I own a portion of, if there is a potential for me to lease the property to a coal company and be compensated for it I WILL! Then I will take that compensation and invest it in the my childrens future so that some day they can but their own mountain.

The tone of your slide show inducates you would rather see the coal mine by underground methods than surface methods. This indicates to me you care more about what you have or percieve you have than about the safety of your fellow man. The indication that your enjoyment of the mountains (which you do not own) is more improtant than another mans life in incomprehensible. I for one would rather see every stream filled than to subject one person to the dangers involved in underground mining. It is a necessary danger and the workers a compensated for it but if at all possible I would rather see surface mining any day. In the end, water runs down hill and it will always do so. The water isn't being destroyed or stopped. All of these mining companies have to meet drinking water standards upon discharge from the mining area.

I understand that the main fear of your Rep. is the idea that coal companies would be taking away Kentuckian Coal Miner's jobs. But we must not be a threat to the commonwealth's jobs in the counties or state.
We must spread awareness, and a interaction with companies, to at least establish a common ground where two can exist.
Kentucky is a state of coal mining, and it is also a Appalachain state so we must make it to where both can co-exist.

I grew up in the head of a holler that had been in my family for generations. I was taught from the beginning to love the land as an extention of me and my family. Now, my land has no usable water on it and huge holes in the mountainsides from mining. What was once worth everything to me and my family now as no money value at all. I still have my love of the land and my distain for the mining companys and Kentucky River Land Co. that hold the mineral through the board form deed. I proudly display my bumper stick "Friend of the Mountains" and face all the negativity that it creates. I don't know why the all the "Friends of Coal" get so upset by my one sticker in the sea of 0pposition. How quickly the Coal companys have filled our people with their scare tactics and propaganda. If they put as much effort into saving the streams and environment as they have "Friends of Coal" then we would be along way toward helping our beloved mountains.

Friends of Coal is no different than environmental groups. Both have agendas that fit into the cause they are fighting for.