Growing up in West Virginia, the mountains were gigantic, static beasts, looming over my head, challenging me to climb them. Which I did, several times. My mother used to say as she got older, the mountains got taller which is why she couldn’t climb them anymore. I certainly share that sentiment.

In Southern West virginia, I grew up in a little coal camp along with a multitude of other coal camps. My family lived and died in the coal fields.I had, and have several family members associated in some form with coal. My grandfather worked his entire life walking the rails of Norfolk & Western (Now Norfolk and Southern) until he died when I was just shy of 3 years old. My uncle has worked all of his life in the deep dark caves, bolting roofs to ensure the safety of those around him. He was a UMWA miner when coal bottomed out in the markets in the 80s, and strikes occurred everywhere. He lacks 3 years to be able to retire with a full pension but he’ll never get it – he’s reached the grand old age of early retirement. Now he must fight for his black lung that he rightfully earned, and live off of only his Social Security and 401K. During that same time, my aunt had to move out of state being unable to find sustainable work locally. This is the hungry beast named coal; its maw is wide open and it flows like a black river, leaving famine or feast in it’s wake.



(A no trespassing sign on an active MTR site in southern WV.)

There’s nothing more that I love other than my home. I realized more and more this great land is a part of me, as much as I am of it. Driving down a one lane, curvy, winding road up a holler to discover what’s there is a thrill, invigorating to the fullest extent. There’s also the people too, who throw a hand up at you with a giant smile on their faces, even though you may be a total stranger in that part of the “county” as we call it. If you stop to talk to them, most of the time it’s as if you’ve known them for years, and have to find an excuse to get away.

On the other extreme, the myriad of no trespassing signs that you know to take seriously are posted everywhere or your ass will get blown off by an old hillbilly with a shotgun. It is all a part of West Virginian life. If you ever find yourself all the way at the head of the holler, any holler, just stop, and listen. You can feel the mountains around you, closing in like a mother holding its child. The culture hidden in these steep wooded slopes is amazingly rich in diversity, and unique feel. No matter where you are, it feels like home. Our little corner of Appalachia is special, full of its own mystique that anyone can see, if you just look for a moment.



Coal has a love/hate relationship with West Virginia. Coal loves to roll out of the mountains, earning millions which at least some are returned with various taxes, reclamation funds, and bonds. It also returns in the form of pay checks that many depend on, including my family. Coal does provide electricity to many in the nation, as well as the heat to strike iron for all of the steel produced by the United States and beyond. Coal has its many uses. It can be found in tires, tar, different chemicals, dyes, soaps, along with many other things. It has provided a living to those of us who have been here for generations, putting food on the table, clothes on children’s backs, and paying the household bills just like any other industry.

I cannot say enough, that I’m not really for, or against coal. Coal is that gigantic elephant in the room, that we have to have currently in order to live until technology advances enough to replace it. It sits down wherever it wants. It eats from everyone’s table, demanding to have its full share and more. Throughout the history of the discovery of coal, contention, confrontation, and strong emotion has led its way to becoming the few providers of southern West Virginia to its serfdom. Just to briefly touch on it’s particularly dark history, a few reminders – Blair Mountain. Paint Creek. Matewan. Mother Jones. The fight of the Union to get miners a decent livable wage, and protection from thugs employed by coal companies at the time to ensure their serfs, or employees, toed theline. There was war. Families kicked out of coal camps. People on both sides killed in the 1900’s drive bys, raids, and paid security, intimidating them to follow the rules. The later protests and union busting of the 80s, and 90s. Coal barons didn’t like giving up their profits then; and in light of that fact, they certainly still don’t now.



Coal companies have done everything possible to continue to keep their opposable thumbs on workers. From destroying unions, to padding politician pockets ensuring coal loving legislation passes, they have perfected the propaganda and loyalty they’ve always wanted. There isn’t a highway in southern West Virginia that does not include a billboard promoting coal. Numerous bumper stickers, vinyl decals, and stickers proclaim people’s love of coal on their vehicles. The hard working miners, most in stripes stopping at stores shuffle along spending their paychecks and supporting the local economy. We are a coal state. And don’t you dare attempt to destroy that image. Mining is also one of those occupations you will find the proudest workers, who hold their heads high for their legacy; their work ethic making many seem like part timers in any other job. They should be proud, too. Being one of the most dangerous occupations in the world, they deserve the appreciation of what they do.

West Virginians are proud of their coal heritage, but also turn a blind eye many times to what else is occurring in their state. I am proud of my own heritage but also accept that things change, unlike many others who live here. This is why I chose to start recording the history of the destruction of my beloved homeland.

The idea that we are capable of anything else besides coal mining is an enigma that no one willingly will choose to explore. We instead choose to ignore all of the signs, as well as any attempts to advance ourselves beyond just coal. I’m afraid to even provide my identity due to repercussions of this project. To some that may be exaggerating, however, it’s a very justified fear. Job loss, threats, they are very real and have happened to others in the past, those that chose to stand up to the tradition and question if this is the path we want to continue to take.

Coal is the dinosaur that’s slowly dying. It doesn’t matter if you root for coal with all your might, or fight against it with protests and crying for environmentally safe energy. The elephant in the room? It’s buffet is now being rationed. It won’t die from starvation in my lifetime by any means. However, the next generation has a long hard road to finding an industry to make a decent wage, and provide for their family if they stay in southern West Virginia. The information is out there for yourself, you just have to research it. Studies on the long term markets, easy coal retrieval predictions, you name it. I won’t bore you with tons of links or documents and studies. Research it yourself, avoiding both sides of the propaganda mills to come to your own conclusion. One of many:

Decline of Appalachian Coal

Coal is not the providing beast it once was, but is instead embellished until it is imagined to be the only thing we can ever have, or work for. Coal has wrapped itself around our throat, hypnotizing us to believe it is our only way to survive, and to attack anyone who advocates advancing into other technologies or industries. If we don’t find another to sustain us, we could be in deep trouble before we know it in this area. My home.

The biggest issue I have with coal, is while all of this is mostly my opinion, there is one thing that is not. Coal is destroying us as it slowly crawls out the door. While the masses chant “coal, coal, coal!” the shovels, drag lines, and trucks are tearing down mountains at an alarming rate. They have the public where they want them; they have the state government in their pockets – and all the while, destroying every bit they can, while on their way out. Our watersheds are also a victim of this practice. A hard and drawn out battle over the clean water acts, stream buffers, and water quality are still going on right now as we speak. Those stuck in the middle, residents who have lived generations in the hollers that coal companies are now trying to fill do without good water, and the fear that their homes will be destroyed along with their way of life. Some also choose to sell out and move, to get away from the problem – only to find the problem encroaches upon them again sooner or later, when a company targets another mountain. Another prime example of this: Lindytown, which was bought out by Massey several years ago.

Lindytown

One day, while meandering down roads, I ran atop some sites and decided to document them. I felt that at least this, this much I could help contribute to wake up calls for my people, who have never backed down from a challenge – until now. I’ve never shot anything controversial, but feel that someone needs to document the real world here in Appalachia, the one that outsiders never get to see. It may not even seem like such a controversial subject to those who do not reside here. My hope is that after shooting various MTR operations, that perhaps I can change that opinion a little.



I’m all for being an energy producing state. It’s a proud fact we power a good part of the nation, though it’s changing with the shuttering of coal plants along with the switch to the lower cost of natural gas. But change is needed, and needed NOW to prepare for when it comes, not only for our people, but for our land as well. The destruction I have seen on MTR jobs pains me; I feel it in my heart, as it cracks a little. There needs to be a middle ground, in order to continue to extract the one resource we’re known for above any other. There needs to be change, a change in processes, and a change in how we allow out of state boards and CEOS to decide that we need flat land that they jokingly make “post use” plans for, that will never sustain anything. Well, perhaps a golf course. This land will never be stable; it will always be settling, leaching out minerals and chemicals into our streams and becoming a gigantic eyesore in each and every site. The topsoil that was once abundant on these sites, and has accumulated for years is forever gone. The same for our native forest, as it’s replaced with grass. I have been on sites, I have seen valley fills, and I’ve seen the streams they cover. I’ve seen the bare rock that leaches chemicals into our earth and our groundwater. We need people to look past the propaganda from the pro coal side, as well as the environmental side and say – Hey! Maybe this isn’t a good idea on how we practice this type of mining. Perhaps, a middle ground can be reached and a newer, better process to minimize the impact that MTR causes. Underground mining has its problems as well, but it is not on the level of an MTR site. Unfortunately, I’m a visual artist, not a mining engineer, so I don’t have any revelations in order to better this practice to satisfy everyone. Instead, I can put photographs to my words, and hope someone sees them and feels the same as I do who has the knowledge to throw out ideas to improve what mining we have left in our state.



I don’t want to see another great migration down the “hillbilly highways” that occurred during the 80s. I also don’t want to be a part of that migration. I certainly don’t want to see anymore destruction of my mountains, either; not in this form. The latest fight was over Blair Mountain. Designated a Historical Site, then had that stripped away why? Because of money from the coal industry. This battle is still being fought, legally to stop stripping this historic and important site. How can we have let it even get that far? Because we have forgotten what was fought for there.

A fight like this shows the true beast that is coal. It will steamroll any who defy it, with the power of generations behind it fueling the beast to mow any of us down who might disagree with its practices. “Lay down, serfs. The lord of the manor will flatten that hill!” With that cry, that is also what we do; we lay down, and continue to allow it, with our state legislature the first to bow their heads. Today, coal companies are in trouble. Patriot is in bankruptcy, jerking the hard fought for benefits to UMWA retirees, while giving millions in bonuses. Alpha Natural Resources has just officially filed a bankruptcy claim. These are just two examples of the struggle the coal industry is in. When these giants fall, what do they leave us in southern WV? A broken economy, with no solution to replace them with. For generations the coal industry has road blocked any attempts to entice other well paying industries to the area. The state legislature themselves, have also done the same. Many cry it’s due to regulations and laws; however, this has been coming for a very long time, well before anything has been implemented. Major companies, unable to protect their behemoth appetites for more profit, switched from producing Steam coal to met coal, flooding the market and dropping the bottom out of pricing, slashing their own throats. They have spent millions trying to fight regulations, instead of using those same millions to find other ways to implement changes to help themselves. As easy to mine coal reserves become rarer, and companies filing bankruptcies, it will only get worse as this vicious cycle of the snake eating its own tail continues.

So what will we be left with? A broken economy, locally; half finished flattened mountains, and coal executives running to the bank, running away from the problem they themselves have created over generations of extraction at the cost of everyone’s humanity and environment. Politicians, continually ignoring the plight that this portion of the state is finding itself in, continue to take mine company hand outs to bury their heads in the sand and blame everyone else but ourselves. There’s a defining line in this state; anything south of Charleston is fodder for the machines. We are constantly ignored, our pleas for help in this area are unheard in the day to day management of the state. North of Charleston you’ll find a bit more diverse economy, as well as a priority for the state legislature to focus on. A perfect example? The Coalfields Expressway, a promise to this area of the state to open up for accessibility, and perhaps woo an industry or two to make their home here. It’s status? Now on hold, due to the coal company who was stripping the McDowell county portion of the road. This road project has been delayed more than any other. The state legislature turns a blind eye to the southern half of the state, sticking their heads in quicksand and hoping that things are maintained as they are and are not really heading for the downfall that they truly are doing. If this was the northern part of the state, above the Charleston line? They’d fall all over themselves in attempts to head off the runaway train at the pass. The rest of us are collateral damage for the mining industry, drug use, and poverty.

I am the hypocrite; I am the Judas who chooses to NOT ignore what the industry is doing to my heritage. I am the one who chooses to take the chance and show what it looks like, for others to make their own decisions even if it may end up causing repercussions. I am the one that while MTR provides my sustenance, I choose not to sit and idly turn a blind eye to what is happening around me, allowing the destruction of so much of my home. What I have photographed is only a touch upon the many forgotten mountains that are flattened at the expense of people, land, and environment. I may or may not be able to update this post, depending on opportunities to be able to photograph this type of subject. I can only hope, that perhaps someone else out there feels the same. Or at least, feels the pain that I feel. I’m sure there will be those who disagree with my opinion, and that’s still a good thing if it brings this subject to light for discussions. Maybe it will wake up enough people to the sights around them, who feel the charge to perhaps attempt to make a call to a representative, or discuss it around the dinner table. No matter what happens, something must give, and I fear, it will be…us.