http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/feature...ppalachia200605
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The Environment

The Rape of Appalachia

Appalachia's mountains are being blasted at a rate of several ridgetops each week. Parents fear for the health of their children. And those trying to fight the devastation have found that coal baron Don Blankenship, C.E.O. of Massey Energy, is tougher than bedrock.

by Michael Shnayerson May 2006

(It's a long and excellent article.... )

In follow-up to the above:

http://www.appalachian-center.org/

http://www.earthjustice.org/news/press/006...ng-permits.html

http://webpages.charter.net/crmw/index.htm (Coal River Mountain Watch)

For the life of me, I can't find the magazine right now, but one of the ones I subscribe to at home had another outstanding article discussing the future of coal - how even with newer 'greener' technology, the environmental impact is still devastating when you consider the means used to mine the coal.

Shnayerson's article is an interesting case study in the balance between energy and the environment, the new rules of campaign finance, the power of the corporation versus the power of the community, and the question of corporate rights versus the overall quality of life issues, especially in terms of degrading and destroying the environment, or what we hold in common.