So the kids have courage even when the adults don't.

I attended a workshop on coal mining with industry reps, enviro types, and the Tennessee Conservation commission. I came away thinking there were significant monetary interests intent on ramping up strip mining in Tennessee and that the controls were very inadequate to protect the rest of us. National Coal has mining rights to very large tracts in Royal Blue and it is essentially impossible to extract the coal without damage to the New River which flows into the Big South Fork. There could be tragic consequences.

I can hear them screaming, "Jobs, jobs, etc." but the numbers don't actually support much of a job impact due to modern methods and equipment.

We'll see.