Are you connected to mountaintop coal?

Web gadget lets you see if your utility purchases illegal coal from Appalachian mountaintop removal.

Wed, May 27 2009 at 6:14 PM

Related Topics:

Conservation, Fossil Fuels, Coal, Mountaintop Removal Mining, Water Pollution

Photo: I Love Mountains

A full 1/3 of all coal in the U.S. comes from Appalachia, much of it from mountain top mining practices that are illegal under the U.S. Clean Water Act. But until now it has been difficult to know whether or not your local utility purchases this dirty coal.

Appalachian Voices, a nonprofit conservation group, has put together an amazing website called I LOVE MOUNTAINS that lets you trace exactly where the coal that powers your home via a Google Earth mashup. Here is the cool gadget. Type in your ZIP code and see what happens:

I was pretty shocked to see that mountaintop coal has found its way even as far as Los Angeles!

What to do?

Get informed by reading my story (recap) on Mountaintop coal mining as it stands today or check I Love Mountains for latest news.
Check to see if your grid buys illegal mountaintop coal. And if so write them and tell them how bad this is for their reputation.
Sign the nationwide petition to pass the Appalachian Restoration Act, which will be voted on this summer!
Spread the word - post this to Facebook and your Twitter!

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