Dear Fellow Students:

We are writing this letter to inform all of the students of Kentucky that Black Mountain is in danger of being mined, and stripped at the highest elevations. Black Mountain is located in Harlan County and is Kentucky's highest peak at 4,139 feet. This is only one reason why we think Black Mountain should be preserved.

We have been trying to do our part to preserve Black Mountain for future generations. Many of us have written letters to the office of Surface Mining, the MSHA office, and the Kentucky Heritage Council. Delegates have also appeared before the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission and spoken at a public hearing. Now, we need your help.

Black Mountain belongs to all Kentuckians. It is our only true mountain in the state. It is home to many unique and endangered species. We often study about saving the rain forests in other countries, or protecting endangered species in far away lands. We are asking you to help us fight to preserve those same important things in Kentucky. The Indiana bat, a federally endangered species, has been sighted on Black Mountain, although no nesting places have been documented. Four other rare mammals also live there: the masked shrew, the New England cottontail, the eastern small-footed myotis and the red-backed volve. There is also the Black Mountain dusky salamander, nine species of beetles, and several species of snail found only on Black Mountain, as well as two rare birds; the common raven and the brown creeper. Rare plants include the Turk's Cap Lily..

Another reason we are concerned is because reports say that 355 miles of stream from 1986 to 1995 have been covered by mining operations, according to an estimate by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Did you know that the headwaters of the Cumberland River are in Harlan County? The Poor Fork, Clover Fork, and Martin's Fork converge at Baxter to form the Cumberland River. Federal law prohibits degrading the waters of the United States. The biological health of the river systems depend on the tiny, often intermittent headwater streams that are being smothered under tons of dirt and rock or transformed into silt ponds. We do not want the headwaters of the Cumberland River to be buried by coal operations.

"Ecologically and biologically, Black Mountain is the crown jewel of Kentucky." This is what Marc Evans, senior biologist with the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission, said.

"In a report by the State Biodiversity Council in 1996, Black Mountain was reported to be "perhaps the most unique assemblage of biodiversity remaining in Kentucky." The report also says that "Black Mountain has tremendous tourism potential. ECO -tourism has become an international, multi-million dollar industry that draws scores of ecologically aware tourists to high quality natural area. The rugged character, natural beauty, and ecological uniqueness of Black Mountain, if protected in its natural state, would have regional significance for this industry."

If Black Mountain is mined, it will destroy our natural heritage. It will destroy home places of people who have lived there for their whole lives. Black Mountain is one of the most important areas of our whole state. If they destroy Black Mountain, it shows how little they think of Harlan County, our natural heritage, our potential tourism in the state, endangered species, and the headwaters of the Cumberland.

We are asking for your help. If you are interested in saving Black Mountain for the future generations of Kentucky, we want to encourage you to write a letter to Governor Paul Patton, asking him to say that Black Mountain is unsuitable for mining. Please work with us to make many copies of this letter and send it to everyone you can think of who will be interested in saving Black Mountain and asking Governor Patton to have it declared as unsuitable for mining.

If enough people across the state care about our only mountain in the state and the endangered plants and animals that live there, then those in charge of making the decision to allow or not allow mining on Black Mountain will have to listen.

Please Help!

Sincerely,
6th, 7th, 8th grade Wallins Students
Black Mountain - Don't Blow It! Save It!