Mining regulations

[trout fanatic]

Found this article in the Aug 24th edition of the KC Star and thought I would submit it for your comments..A small article that I have quoted verbatim, don't be confused by the quotation marks-they were included because they were in the article (presumably a direct quote from an administrative document?)

Mining regulations:

The Bush administration wants to quit requiring coal operators to prove that their surface mining will not damage streams, fish and wildlife.

Under proposed regulations that it will put out today for public comment, strip mine operators would have to show only that they intend to prevent such damage "to the extent possible using the best technology currently available."

I don't want to turn this into a political debate because it will get us nowhere but given the vast number of mining accidents that occur routinely in mining operations this does not bode well for our ecology. I am willing to bet that states like Pennsylvania and West Virginia our gonna take one on the chin. I simply cannot fathom that relaxing current regulations will help decrease the number of accidents/spillages. But big business is the beneficiary of this strategy and we will either have to swallow this very bitter pill or learn to do something about it. What are your thoughts on this article?

[Phil Lilley]

Would like to read the whole proposal and other viewpoints. In light of the recent accidents, I'd say if it's what it looks like, it's not a good proposal.

Did you know there have been over 2,000 deaths in mines in China this year? Marsha read an article to me last night off Foxnews- I think.

[Project Healing Waters]

China averages 12 dead coal miners PER DAY. But they seem to be of the opinion that they have plenty to spare.

There are more "rollbacks" in environmental regulation/restrictions coming out of the Admin right now than we could hope to keep track of and combat. That's the PLAN...flood the system and more will get through.

[brownieman]

Good old "Mother Nature" is slipping at an alarming rate.

Big money tends to be winning the battle...greed, power, whatever.

We were blessed with a thought process above most other life that inhabits this planet.

All I do is sit and watch where it is getting us...to me it's fairly obvious.

Mankind has become it's own worst enemy...jmo, but it's a grim picture man is painting for himself.

We above all other creatures have the thought and knowledge to stop the direction we are headed.

Some tend to throw the very planet that supports our existence by the wayside for various reasons...all I do is sit, help where I can not having wealth or influence and watch us be the demise of the only planet that has the desired environment to support our species.

I watch and wonder what it will take for us to realize the damage we are doing to ourselves by destroying what enables our very existence...it makes little sense to me ???

PHW, you ask for thoughts and or opinions...these are mine, I simply just watch, regret and wonder the direction we are headed. The ones who will suffer from actions taken today will be our children and grandchildren...my only hope is for the generations following us to still have a clean drink of water, an uncontaminated fish to eat or catch, to have a tree to sit under for shade...just to be able to exist in the world we are leaving for them.

It is said there is strength in numbers...until a new level of awareness is achieved by enouph people that are willing to commit and unite for the salvation of the following generations I feel no change will take place...I don't know but can only hope this will happen for I see no other fix.

PHW...you ask, this is JMHO.

bm

[Danoinark]

Here, Here Brownieman, excellent post and observations.

Dano