Steven Holt: “This is an actual photograph of actual water coming from an actual mountaintop removal site. I hope that the camera…”

“This is an actual photograph of actual water coming from an actual mountaintop removal site. I hope that the camera captures the color of the green hills that used to be there and the orange water that is there now. A stream this orange might be good for dyeing Easter eggs but not for drinking. Now, earlier, I referred to the studies by scientists that associated hospitalizations with these activities. I referred to hospitalizations, hypertension, lung cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, increased flooding, loss of habitat, damage to wildlife. The other side, the majority, keeps wanting to talk about procedures, so let's talk about procedures for just a moment. {time} 1330 The record is clear. These are the words of the Federal District Court. The record is clear. The 2008 rule may affect or threaten endangered species or critical habitat. Further, the court goes on, the errors in this rule constitute a--in their words--serious deficiency and not merely a procedural defect. Mountaintop removal mining is a serious environmental and health threat in Appalachia.…”