TO THE EDITOR:
Last Monday, I joined 100 others, including world-renowned climate scientist Dr. James Hansen, in getting arrested at the White House while protesting mountaintop removal. In contrast to traditional forms of underground mining that leave the surface intact, MTR is a devastating practice where coal companies blow the tops off of mountains and push the debris into valleys, destroying ecosystems, burying streams and poisoning wells.
I commend Chancellor Holden Thorp and the University for their decision this spring to adopt the recommendations of the Energy Task Force, one of which was to avoid the destruction caused by MTR by only purchasing coal from underground mines.
Research by the Sierra Student Coalition has shown that the University’s coal currently comes from mines in Tennessee and Virginia classified as “contour” mining sites. However, contour mining is still a form of strip mining that leaves behind lifeless moonscapes and poisons local tap water.
Our university has a responsibility to live up to the standards it has set. Buying coal mined using MTR exacerbates public health and ecological crises. It is time for UNC to step forward and cut ties with coal mines that refuse to mine responsibly.
John Allen
Senior
Environmental Science
