Poll: Majority of public opposes mountaintop-removal mining

The majority of the public opposes a controversial mining practice in which companies blow up parts of mountains in order to gain access to valuable coal seams underneath, a new CNN poll says.

The poll, conducted by CNN and Opinion Research Corp., finds that 57 percent of the public is opposed to mountaintop-removal mining. Thirty-six percent of those polled support the practice and 7 percent are neutral, according to CNN.

Mountaintop-removal mining, a technique used in Appalachian coal-mining operations, has come under fire from environmental groups and others, who have raised red flags about its effects on public health and nearby waterways and streams.

The Environmental Protection Agency issued final guidance last month aimed at strengthening and clarifying Clean Water Act permitting requirements for mountaintop-removal mining.

Industry groups have defended mountaintop removal mining, arguing it is an economic boon to states like West Virginia where the practice is prevalent. The industry groups have also blasted EPA’s Clean Water Act guidance, insisting it is overly burdensome.

The poll was released Thursday in advance of an upcoming CNN documentary on mountaintop-removal mining.