| Mountaintop Removal Mining (MTR) is a controversial topic in West Virginia. This controversy includes the people of the areas mined, local politicians, and many aspects of the mining itself. This thesis included two main objectives. The first objective was to analyze MTR, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and the specific impacts arising from MTR. The second objective was to develop impact matrices using information from the first objective. Included within the analysis is a critical investigation of past EIAs used to assess mining activities. Special attention has been directed towards aquatic resource impacts and their documentation and validity. Methods included a literature review of technical reports, newspaper articles, books, and current journal articles, as well as the creation of impact matrices. Findings drawn from the project include a lack of adequate assessment and monitoring of MTR in West Virginia using current federal EIA techniques. Aquatic impacts are extremely lacking in representation and validity in current EIAs. The constructed matrices offer a novel approach for a scoping step in a formal EIA on MTR, as well as demonstrating the usefulness of this technique for EIA in general. |
