N.Y. Times starts energy series with a look at mountaintop-removal mining, and an alternative

The New York Times begins a series called "Beyond Fossil Fuels" today with a story about mountaintop-removal coal mining that focuses on Coal River Mountain near Whitesville, W.Va., the plan to mine the mountain and environmentalists' counter-proposal: a 164-turbine wind farm that they say would create more long-term benefit. The report also includes a four-minute video. (Associated Press photo of nearby Kayford Mountain with Coal River Mountain in background)

Reporter Tom Zeller Jr. writes that the wind-farm idea is unlikely to prevail over Massey Energy's premits to mine the mountain, but "For many renewable-energy advocates outside the region, the struggle at Coal River Mountain has become emblematic of an effort across the country to find alternatives to fossil fuels." And he notes, "Proponents say that changes in state and federal mining regulations could tilt things in their favor." (Read more) We first reported on the idea in late 2008.