Voices of Appalachia: Deconstructing the Polarizing Presence of Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining in Appalachia Through Local Narratives and Pro-Coal Rhetoric

The practice of mountaintop removal coal mining (MTR) has been clouded with controversy since its inception. I hope to emphasize its profound impact on Appalachian ecosystems and communities through the examination of local narratives and coal industry rhetoric. MTR has not fully resonated into the public sphere and I want to draw attention to its environmental impacts, its effect on communal dynamics and cultural fabrics, and the methods the coal industry has taken to perpetuate its survival. While I do highlight the environmental degradation MTR causes, my primary focus is on the extensive communal impact MTR has on the people of Appalachia. Through a collection of voices and history, I strive to convey the polarizing presence MTR has in Appalachia with a primary concentration on West Virginia