Tuesday, March 1, 2011


Each square represents one square mile. Within one mile of the mine permit edges, home loans may be denied by local banks. From the bank's standpoint, in coal country, when a coal strip mine comes to town, the property values plumet. As a result, people walk away from their homes finding that they owe more to the bank than their home is worth. Add to this the fact that people face higher medical expenses due to health impacts associated with coal dust, and small businesses close down. Tourism vanishes, and sportsfishing, hunting, and subsistence activities suffer from restricted access and from pollution.