To Save the Land and People: A History of Opposition to Surface Coal Mining in Appalachia

265 Pages·2003·1.44 MB·English

by  Chad Montrie

Montrie001.fm 10/24/02 1:44 PM Page i
to save the land and people
Montrie001.fm 10/24/02 1:44 PM Page ii
Montrie001.fm 10/24/02 1:44 PM Page iii
to save
the land
and
A History of
Opposition to
people
Surface Coal
Mining in
Appalachia
Chad Montrie
The University of
North Carolina Press
Chapel Hill & London
Montrie001.fm 10/24/02 1:44 PM Page iv
© 2003 The University ofNorth Carolina Press
All rights reserved
Designed by April Leidig-Higgins
Set in Minion by Copperline Book Services,Inc.
Manufactured in the United States ofAmerica
The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence
and durability ofthe Committee on Production Guidelines
for Book Longevity ofthe Council on Library Resources.
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Montrie,Chad. To save the land and people:a history of
opposition to surface coal mining in Appalachia / Chad
Montrie.
p.cm. Includes bibliographical references and index.

0-8078-2765-7 (cloth:alk.paper)

0-8078-5435-2 (pbk.:alk.paper)
1.Strip mining—Environmental aspects—Appalachian
Region. 2.Strip mining—Appalachian Region—Public
opinion. 3.Public opinion—Appalachian Region. I.Title.
. 2003 338.2'724'0974—dc21 2002010880
cloth 07 06 05 04 03 5 4 3 2 1
paper 07 06 05 04 03 5 4 3 2 1
Montrie001.fm 10/24/02 1:44 PM Page v
To my mother
Montrie001.fm 10/24/02 1:44 PM Page vi
Montrie001.fm 10/24/02 1:44 PM Page vii
contents
Acknowledgments xi
Abbreviations xiii
Introduction.
Common People and
Private Property 1
1
Making,Taking,and
Stripping the Land 7
2
Our Country Would Be
Better Fit for Farming:
Opposition to Surface Coal
Mining in Ohio 25
3
Selfish Interests:
Opposition to Surface Coal
Mining in Pennsylvania 43
4
We Feel We Have Been Forsaken:
Opposition to Surface Coal Mining
in Kentucky,1954–1967 61
5
We Will Stop the Bulldozers:
Opposition to Surface Coal Mining
in Kentucky,1967–1972 85
Montrie001.fm 10/24/02 1:44 PM Page viii
6
The Dilemma Is a Classic One:
Opposition to Surface Coal Mining
in West Virginia 107
7
Liberty in a Wasteland Is Meaningless:
Strip Mining Opposition at the
Federal Level,1968–1972 127
8
Getting More and More Cynical:
Decline ofthe Opposition,1973–1977 155
9
Against the Little Man Like Me:
Legalized Destruction in the Era 181
Conclusion.
Having to Fight the
Whole System 201
Notes 207
Selected Bibliography 2
Index 241
Montrie001.fm 10/24/02 1:44 PM Page ix
illustrations and maps
Illustrations
Landslide in front ofeastern Kentucky home 65
Dan Gibson with his rifle 73
Bessie Smith and Madge Ashley blocking coal trucks 76
Sabotaged mine site 89
Citizens’League to Protect Surface Rights meeting 101
Occupation ofKnott County strip mine 104
Maps
1.Strip coalfields ofAppalachia 8
2.Counties ofeastern Ohio 27
3.Counties ofPennsylvania 45
4.Counties ofeastern Kentucky 63
5.Counties ofWest Virginia 110