On Tuesday, October 7th, All In America: Coal Country explores the link between coal and tobacco: Two powerful and profitable industries that fight regulation and are linked to health problems. All In travels from the mountain top mining operations in West Virginia to the coal ash river clean-up in North Carolina, and talks to everyone from politicians to activists to Duke Energy, as Chris Hayes examines the similarities between big tobacco and big coal.
You can learn more here:
“Federal Court Backs EPA’s Veto Of One Of The Largest Surface Mines Ever Proposed In Appalachia,” ThinkProgress
- “According to the EPA, the proposed mine would have dumped 110 million cubic yards of coal mine waste into streams, dynamited of over 2,200 acres of mountains and forestlands, buried more than 35,000 feet of high-quality streams under mining waste, and polluted downstream waters.”
“Black Lung Disease Makes Comeback, Study Shows,” The Wall Street Journal
- “The prevalence of severe black lung disease among coal miners in Central Appalachia has hit levels not seen since coal dust was first regulated in mines about 40 years ago, according to federal researchers.”
“Army Corps denies request for public hearing on coal trains,” WDSU News
- “The plan is to build a coal export terminal in Plaquemines Parish that would include expanded rail lines stretching from Algiers to Ironton. It could bring mile-long trains full of uncovered coal through several Westbank communities.”
“State, corrections union investigate health at prisons by coal sites,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“The union representing state corrections officers will conduct a health survey of present and former members working at SCI Fayette and three other prisons built near coal ash disposal or coal mining operations.
The Pennsylvania State Correctional Officers Association announced it will do the survey in the wake of a report by two human rights groups earlier this month that found inmates at the state prison along the Monongahela River at LaBelle, Fayette County, were experiencing high numbers of cancers and other health problems.”
“In NC Hamlet, Residents Worry Over Coal Ash Pond,” The Associated Press
- “Since 2011, Duke and North Carolina environmental regulators have known that groundwater samples taken from monitoring wells near the Thomases’ home and others in Dukeville contained substances – some that can be toxic – exceeding state standards.”
“EPA unveils historic carbon regulations,” All In with Chris Hayes
- “Don’t believe the coal industry’s hype – a large majority of Americans want the government to curb carbon emissions. Chris Hayes and Bob Kincaid discuss.”
MS NOW staff