Mountaintop removal is an environmental issue that often takes a backseat to other seemingly more pressing issues in Philadelphia. Students from two of our major universities however, are making the mining practice a priority.
Mountaintop removal is a form of surface mining on the summit or summit ridge of a mountain. Explosives are used to blow up the mountain top and expose coal. Excess rock and soil created in the blast is then restacked on the ridges or dumped into valleys and lower lying areas sometimes called “holler fills” or “valley fills.” The excess soil is laden with toxic byproducts of the explosives that can have serious environmental impacts on the land and those living near a mining site.
PNC bank is a large financier of mountaintop removal. The bank also holds exclusive contracts with both Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania. With the help of anti-removal group Earth Quaker Action Team, Temple and Penn students are now determined to persuade PNC to reconsider its financing.
Last Monday, representatives from both universities met with bank executives. The meeting was not enough to dissuade PNC from its financing. As a result, students from both universities will seek out additional academic partners and encourage more action.
For more visit the Temple Community Against Mountaintop Removal and Penn Community Against Mountaintop Removal.
