Draft 1 of Essay 2

Ashley Yermasek
ENG-1020
Dr. Houp
25 February 2009
Draft 1
Big-wig coal companies are playing a dangerous game of intimidation and who knows more with the residents of Appalachia and surrounding coal sites. Mining there works out great for them because these are communities located in the backwoods, off the beaten path and are usually very poor. Without proper schooling, jobs, and outside resources, they are kept in the “dark” about what is really going on and that’s just how the coal companies want it. Coal companies aren’t the only ones to blame however, the government plays its role as well. A lot of these coal companies are in pretty tight with both political parties, so they have a lot of leeway when it comes to destroying people’s property or the property surrounding. The government helps keep these residents poor by not funding their economy so there are no good jobs, the schools are falling apart and without proper educations, I’m sure well qualified teachers in these areas are slim to none.
Cut off from society, constant intimidation, and fear for their lives; this is how residents of the coal fields live every day. They are both poisoned with chemicals in the air and drinking water, as well as poisoned with lies. The coal companies and the government both work together and try to convince these communities affected most by mountaintop removal that what they are doing is safe, legal, and a necessity. A lot of the residents believe this because they know that they have little to no jobs available and for some it is the only means of supporting their families. The term “clean coal” is also thrown around in the press by government officials and coal company operators. To think of how many billions of dollars in coal are extracted from these mountaintops and the communities that provide access to it are the poorest in the nation is a sickening thought.
A chilling statement from an article on the Kentuckians For The Commonwealth website, stated by Erica Urias from Pike County, Kentucky reads: “Is coal a cheap source of energy? Not unless you think that people’s lives are cheap.” This quote rings so much truth because of course it is the cheapest form of coal extraction for the coal industry and the government alike, but the residents of these coal fields pay a much higher price. With the highest cancer and diabetes rates in the nation, these people are paying with their lives. But aside from this, aren’t they already paying with their lives by watching everything that they have worked so hard for being destroyed one mountain blast at a time?

This is all I’ve got so far, it’s a little messy and unorganized but I think it’s a decent start.