“Topographic changes and land-cover changes associated with mountaintop mining have the potential to produce changes in climate at local to regional scales,” the study states. “Modeling is needed to determine if the now extensive development of mountaintop mining is leading to such changes.”
The study also notes that mountaintop removal often converts mature forests, which store carbon dioxide, to reclaimed sites that do not sequester as much of the climate-warming gas. In addition, the mining process itself and the burning of coal are sources of global warming pollution, the study says. It recommends studying these changes through a carbon-accounting process from pre-mining to between 50 and 75 years after mining is complete.
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Study outlines overlooked impacts of mountaintop removal – News – The Charleston Gazette – West Virginia News and Sports -
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