There has been much focus of late on surface mining, also called mountaintop removal, in the state's media. For the most part, everyone outside of our region, and some inside, are taking the position that surface mining should be abolished.

Let's take a look at what would happen were surface mining to become a thing of the past.

First and foremost, jobs would be lost. The economy is a high priority each and every year, and ours would take a hard hit if hundreds of jobs were to suddenly be cut off.

Second, coal production would be cut dramatically, which would in turn increase coal prices because demand would stay the same, but the supply would have to decrease. Good for the remaining coal companies, bad for the consumer.

Third, since local economies would lose many jobs, communities would lose population as workers look elsewhere for employment. There's only so many underground jobs to go around as it is, and if we lose hundreds or thousands more, that's a lot of people that need to find other employment, which they would more easily do outside of the region.

Fourth, and perhaps the only good thing, the mountaintops would remain as they have for millions of years. I've always been a big proponent of keep the environment steady and as it always has been. Streams should always keep their natural flow, trees should grow as they may, and wildlife should live as they may. There is little doubt that surface mining does indeed disrupt nature by covering streams and displacing wildlife, so to rid the state of the practice would save these areas.

Fifth, the nay sayers would have to focus on something else, like say logging or the mining of natural gas, perhaps, which seems to be much less regulated that any form of coal mining ever has been. At least you hear much less about it anyway if they are regulated just as much by the state and federal government.

And just how prevalent is logging and natural gas drilling? Apparently not prevalent enough to vilify like coal mining always has been. Don't get me wrong, in the past, coal mining, both underground and surface, has been detrimental to the region just as it has helped. From the old mine camps that sold overpriced food and the disgust with unionization to the environmental impacts of early surface mining, there have been instances in the past that point to coal mining as a detriment to our region. But why keep up the fight with only coal companies? I suppose only because it is an easy target because that fight has always been there.

But again, just how prevalent are natural gas wells and logging operations? Just take a look at any map detailing the operations of an underground mine. There will no doubt be little dots everywhere on that map showing the locations of literally hundreds of gas wells. Wells that sometimes disrupt underground waterways. Wells that the drilling of sometimes cause mudslides.

As for logging, just take a drive around the county and you'll see at least one hillside devoid of any trees and pot marked with tiny roads where loggers have clear cut a hillside to harvest timber.

Where are the nay sayers of these operations? Not to say that there should be any nay sayers for these operations, but as the old saying goes, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Why is coal the sole focus of condemnation in the region? It's not fair to the every day coal miner or their families. Those underground are risking their lives every day by shuttling underneath a mountain to keep our lights on. Those above ground traverse dangerous terrain next to high walls hundreds of feet in the air to keep food on their families' table. If mining is to be a thing of the past, what is to happen to these men and women? Are these same groups who cry for the soil going to shed a tear for a miner who has no job or income? Will they help with the placement of another job, or will they continue until eastern Kentucky is devoid of any human existence at all?

These nay sayers are doing what they feel is right, and for exercising their rights as an American alone they should be applauded, but I wonder if they ever take a step back to look at what will happen if they succeed?

There has to be a middle of the road on this issue that can placate both sides and keep the coal flowing and our miners in the region with continuing income. There has to a decision that can allow the environmental groups to be satisfied to stop their campaigns that are ultimately against the every day coal miner putting more than 40 hours each week on their time cards. There has to be a compromise, but if things continue as they are, it will probably never come.