Mountaintop Removal!

When Jimi Hendrix sang, Well, I stand up next to a mountain, and I chop it down with the edge of my hand... I'm pretty sure he was being metaphorical. 

Well, it ain't.

Classic valley fill. Explosives are used to pulverize the mountaintop down to the coal seams. The overburden is pushed into adjacent stream valleys. Fish species already adversely affected or threatened include the mottled sculpin, fantail darter, roseyside dace, longnose dace, brook trout, and the blacknose dace.

Threatened and endangered reptiles and amphibians include the green salamander, the Santeetlah dusky salamander, the Junaluska salamander, the Tennessee cave salamander, the Bog turtle, and the hellbender, North America's largest amphibian.

The EPA says the mine operators are legally responsible for restoring MTR sites after operations cease. Here's one example of a 'restored' mountain.

Also: Mountaintop Removal Linked to 60,000 Additional Cancer Cases

So I'm not asking for a lot here. Two things, really. Please check these guys out, look at the images and give the 'likes.' Please.

Appalachia Rising

Ramps Campaign

And maybe add this to your Netflix cue: THE LAST MOUNTAIN

These folks are fighting the fight peacefully. This is last year's march on Blair Mountain:

Between now and August 1, 2012, remember the Appalachians when you're Tweeting. Get the word out. Make people aware. That's all.