Documentary on mountaintop removal to air on PBS Nov. 23

In April, we reported on a documentary taking a new approach to the mountaintop removal debate. That film, "Deep Down: a story from the heart of coal country," will air on PBS on November 23. Instead of approaching mountaintop removal from the environmentalists' perspective, Deep Down examines the unique conflict between two friends in Maytown, Ky.: one who opposes surface mining, the other who agonizes over leasing his land for it. (Deep Down photo of coal train in Maytown)

The film argues that Maytown, which was relatively successful in turning back a proposed mountaintop removal mine, has "become an example for small communities throughout Appalachia." The documentaries protagonists are anti-stripping activist Beverly May and her longtime friend Terry Ratliff, a self-employed woodworker who has no retirement fund, needs money and is offered $75,000 to lease 6 acres for part of the proposed mine. In the end Ratliff doesn't lease his land and May and her colleagues are successful in blocking the mine's planned use of a local road as a haul road, but the film's primary benefit comes from its perspective on the unique pressures facing landowners in such a situation.

For more information on the documentary, you can read our original review here or visit the Deep Down website.