First, I want to commend Brad Luttrell and the Kernel for putting a human face on the mining industry. I found it especially ironic that Scott Beckmeyer, featured in the article, is an agricultural engineering major, which was my UK bachelor’s degree, and Nate Waters, also featured, is a mining engineering major, which was my UK master’s degree.

Also interesting is how Eric Reece is exposed in the articles. I would be interested in learning how often Reece has actually sat down and even attempted a respectful discussion on the issues. He is quoted as calling coal supporters liars and saying such discussion is not feasible. I have read Reece’s book, “Lost Mountain,” and documented numerous technical errors, misrepresentations and misleading information that has gone unchallenged and have been accepted by many as true.

“Energizing Kentucky” is a conference organized by UK President Lee Todd and the Presidents of the University of Louisville, Centre and Berea colleges. At this year’s conference on April 15 at the Hyatt in Lexington, the keynote was given by UCLA’s Dr. Jared Diamond, author of “Guns, Germs & Steel.” The first question to Diamond was by Reece, who seemed to be attempting to illicit a condemnation of mountaintop removal mining. Diamond obviously did not know who Reece was or understand the underlying issue. He did understand mining and his response was very telling. Paraphrasing Diamond, he essentially responded by saying that mining done in a responsible manner can restore land to productive uses and that he had seen many improvements in sustainable mining practices.

Reece characterizes the coal industry as corrupt. Thank you, Brad and the Kernel for showing that mining is made up of good, honest, responsible and respectful people like Waters and Don Gibson who are fiercely proud of what they do and the service they provide to the country. It seems to those of us who grew up in Appalachia that the vast majorities of the opponents of mining live outside the coalfields and want to dictate terms of life to us.

One only has to go look at restored mine sites to refute what Reece has written in his book, something he failed to do. He stated he does not believe it can be done. It is unfortunate that too often in the media untrue statements or exaggerations can be made so often that they become accepted as fact. Mountaintop mining is legal and always has been. What those in the industry deal with are constant re-interpretations of laws and regulations, sometimes changing the rules after the fact.

By the way, I would be glad to be part of the discussion of the issues as suggested by Luttrell, even with Reece, should he be willing and can refrain using the term “liar.” Also, I would be willing to talk to UK Greenthumb or any other group that would like to hear another side of the issue.

J. Steven Gardner

president/CEO

Engineering Consulting Services, INC.