Should West Virginia allow mountain top removal? (blog 3)

Although mountain top removal is one of the least expensive and more efficent ways to mine coal to earths surface, it still has it's disadvantages. Personally, I would prefer to see mountain top removal being used over the practice of deep mining. It is much more safe than deep mining and does not completely destroy the mountains. Diring the process of mountain top removal, huge machines remove top soil and layers of thick rock known as "overburden" to expose the coal seam. Once the process is completed, the dirt and rock are returned to the pit. Then, the top soil is replaced and the area is replanted. Parks and devolpments are built overtop of the mined coal beds. In deep mining, explosives are used to get into the mountain. People have to get inside the mountain to mine the coal. This is why in deep mining more injuries and fatal accidents occure. Although mountain top removal is a safer way to mine coal it still has it's drawbacks. Mined coal beds let off toxic emissons such as methane gas, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. This can be a problem when devolpments are built over the mined coal beds. In my opinion, I think mountain top removal should be allowed in West Virginia because it is much safer and easier than deep mining.