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Op-ed on mountaintop removal in the Herald-Leader today
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Today's Herald Leader had an op-ed by a former miner about the devastating impact of mountaintop removal on the rivers and streams of Appalachia. Go read it if you have a moment.
When I visit relatives in Big Stone Gap, Va., I love to stop at Roaring Branch. There are steps that lead up to a wonderful spot overlooking the highway.
If it's 95 degrees and 95 percent humidity on the road, it is always 20 to 25 degrees cooler up there, just like walking into air conditioning. There is always a very good flow of water, even in times of drought; it is clean, clear and unpolluted. I would say it is even safe to drink — at least it was.
I was shocked and completely dismayed by what I found on a recent trip: Roaring Branch no longer roars.