Home Sweet Home

I am very glad to be back in the city of Huntington. Growing up here, I always felt like I lived in a small town. After traveling around the state, I have a new appreciation for Huntington, and Marshall University for its culture as well as other types of industry we have here. I don't think we are in nearly as bad of shape as some of the small coal mining towns that were just sad and closed down. When the jobs go away, the people go away. I went into this trip feeling much more knowledgeable about coal. After this trip I definitely know a lot about coal and have some strong opinions about mining. I was bragging to my friends (environmentalists) and feeling smart about coal, and was bombarded with retort against the coal companies and my new knowledge. The best argument I had to the destruction that mountain top removal (or strip mining) causes, is that the companies are trying to follow guidelines and return the land to a healthy and useable state. I have seen first hand the destruction, and it is aweful, and takes your breath away, but I have seen stages of reclaimation and I know that reclaimed and useable land is important to our state’s future. I know there has been a lot of destruction due to coal mining in West Virginia, but gosh, the history and the lives that coal has touched has no measure. The people who have well-paying jobs and insurance today make West Virginia a lot of money in personal sales & purchases as well as taxes and in reclamation dollars.
I honestly understand that it would be terrible to live somewhere and my house be located below a mining operation. I would hate that. I think it is terrible that a lot of coal money goes directly out of this state. I do know that a lot of coal doesn’t remain in this state, but that other states buy it for their power companies and coke companies. It is a business. It is a way of life. It is a hard, dirty and dangerous job. There are huge strides going on in our state to make mining profitable as well as safer for the workers and the people who live here. I want both bumper stickers on my car,” I Mountains” as well as “Friends of Coal”. I honestly will listen when people point out the negatives about coal and coal mining and I will listen when they tell me good things about coal and the companies, then I’ll combine the two sides and continue to better understand my views. I know that there are winners and losers in business and West Virginia’s business is mining coal. Go Mountaineers!

Reclaimation

Growing up in Huntington, I've found that i'm familiar with many coal terms. Reclaimation is one of those words. In the past my impression of reclaimation would be putting land back to fill up the hole the miners would dig. Now I know there is much more involved. I have learned traveling in the Northern coal cities that nature wants to "heal" itself from rubble to forrest if left alone. I can also see how people have learned over time what "works" and "doesn't work" while reclaiming mining land. Planting non-native species plants is more harmful to the ecosystems than leaving it to fix itself. I am glad that today there are EPA regulations that keep the mines working hard to return the land to it's pre-mining condition. I have found out that we are utilizing reclamation for many different types of projects, from farming land to air ports. I guess I didn't realize that people own much of the land that coal is found in here in our state. We were able to see a coal processing plant today too. That was amazing! We spend millions of dollars to clean and separate coal. Seeing how the machines work was facinating, gravity is a great helper in the process. The plant was extremely clean compared to what i expecected it to be. In the future, I hope to help my students understand the terms related to coal, learn about the multitude of jobs surrounding coal, and also to gain an appreciation of mining in our state. Even though a lot of the coal generated here in WV is sent elsewhere, coal is extremely important in the small mining communities of our state. Tonight we met with miners and their wives and talked with employees of the mine and really got a better picture of the faces of mining. Mining in the Logan & Mingo county regions is a main source of employment. I am learning how hard it is for the mine operators to meet the regulations because different inspectors are looking for "different" things. I didn't realize that two different inspectors can look at the exact same conditions and then see different violations. I guess I could compare this to different administrators in a school building. Hopefully they would find the same things good or bad about a lesson I would teach, unfortunately, they would probably also find different things that are positive or different things to improve on. I want my students to appreciate their state. I know that during this trip, i have gained a much deeper appreciation for West Virginia.

Long wall mining equipment

WOW these machines are amazingly huge and efficient.  We were able to see machinery that was created and sold right here in WV.  The technology was awesome and we were invited to climb right up on it.  The foreman was very cool he was a nice guy told me he started with the company as a floor sweep and in 6 years he is now the foreman on the job.  He showed me the claws that dig the coal unbelievable abilities.  One thing that really stood out as something i can tell my students would be that game playing may make them good at a future job in the mining field.  It is great that humans do not have to go underground to mine hu.dreds of tons of coal using this equipment.

Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine

Great mine tour today. Marvin our guide, had experience as a miner as well as experience giving the tours. The mine stays 58 degrres year round and was a nice relief from the hot days we've had.  My favorite aspect of the tour was when he explained to us about the under cutting, then how the miners would dig then drill then set off explosions and have to leave that area before the blasts went off. I cant imagine having to work day after day under those conditions. I liked seeing how things in the mine changed over time. The outside buildings are filled with memoriabilia and artifacts from mining times. I really liked the beauty shop, and the hair permanent machine.

Tucker County, black water falls & river

Water quality testing today, AWESOME TEAM!!!   Very interesting results, we compared a ferris environment to a nonferris  environment.  Learned about acid mine drainage in college don't remember learning "why" the rocks are red ,  now i know.  Also i expected the ph to be lower than it was.  Learned that the limestone is used as a neutralizer. I am learning a lot on this trip!  Visited the beehive coke ovens in coketon.

Canaan Valley

Glad to arrive at our first location, Canaan.  Stopped to see wind turbines had no idea they were so huge!!! We calculated wind speed those things were moving over 100 mph.  We drove for about 3 hours through the roads of West Virginia.  We found a small park to stop for a few minutes and the rest rooms were locked and/or destroyed.  I think that is so sad that people enjoy destroying others property.   I am ready to learn a lot about coal and WV.  I like the use of the mountains for some wind turbine farms, but i would hate them all to be covered with the turbines.  This wouldn't happen anyway due to the wind speeds that the turbines require to be profitable.  It would be even better if WV's power bills could be lowered in some way.  Right now I don't think that is how it actually works, may have to look into this!



Drove through Canaan Valley & Timberline Ski Resorts.  Wow the mountains look very different in the summer than they do in the winter.  I could totally see the ski slopes without any snow.  Hardly any people compared to the winter.  Still beautiful!  I do love the West Virginia Mountains