A different kind of farming

Wind Farm Near Davis, WV

Years ago, when I first heard about the destructive surface mining practice of MTR (mountaintop removal) and saw the first photos of what these ancient mountains look like after the greedy and irresponsible coal companies are done blasting the tops of the mountains to smithereens, I had a vision of windmills riding the tops of the now-flat mountains, harnessing the plentiful winds that provide updrafts for eagles, hawks, and other birds to soar on. And when I say "vision," I mean that it was an actual, bona fide vision that came to me in a prophetic movie in my head. I didn't even know then exactly what the wind turbines looked like, but in the vision, they were whirling and dancing across the Allegheny ridges, bringing a new kind of energy to the mountains ravaged by centuries of extracting coal, timber, and any other natural commodity those companies could wring from the earth.

Aerial View of MTR Site

When Massey Energy and its CEO, Don Blankenship, were being indicted in Washington, I made repeated efforts to reach the company's marketing and PR departments, wanting to suggest to them that they consider the immediate erection of wind farms on the tops of those ruined mountains in an act of brilliant PR, retribution, and restitution. I had several call-backs from the marketing guy there, but we never connected, because the company, since purchased by another mining company with the help of Bank of America money, was under a gag order.


Those coal companies have clogged our Bureau of Mines with so many spurious appeals and lawsuits that we'll all be dead and gone -- just like the mountains -- before anyone is held responsible for the destruction wrought upon the land, the communities, and the individuals who live there. I gave up, figuring my vision must surely be shared by others who knew better than I how to bring wind farming to the Alleghenies.


When I went back to Canaan Valley in October, I rounded a bend in the road along old Route 50, and there they were!! Wind turbines -- scores of them -- riding along the ridges and dancing against the sky, just like in the vision I'd had! I was entranced by them, and Bob and I got as close to one as possible to make sure they were real. Every time I see them, I feel hope rising in my chest -- hope that once every ton of coal has been ripped from the mountains of this beautiful state, these wind farms and other alternative forms of energy will continue to provide cleaner power to West Virginians and others in nearby states.


To be sure, these wind farms are not yet on the flattened mountaintops that are now long gone -- creating "valley fill" that chokes off streams and causes flooding and black, toxic water in the valley bottoms. But I did see the wind farms so close to active surface mines that they seemed to be taunting those mine owners, dancing to a new tune that will bring us into a brighter future.