McDowell needs boost in coal subsidy

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

October 09, 2008 05:26 pm

— This letter is directed to our local and state West Virginia elected officials. Its purpose is to address a particular situation that exists in McDowell County.
We are aware that McDowell County is the poorest county yet it produces more coal than any other county in the United States.
Coal trucks and coal trains are constantly moving coal throughout the county every day. This natural resource from our county helps to provide half of the electrical energy used by our fellow countrymen elsewhere.
However, we see very little benefit from our own natural resource in our lives.
Winter is a very difficult time of year for us. A large number of us still live in old coal camp houses that are without insulation, which makes for many very cold air drafts in our mountain locations.
Coal stoves are a main source of winter heat for many of us.
Our problem is the very limited amount of coal subsidy that we receive. There are citizens here who have little or no income. In winter we often rely on the help of others to get by — but barely.
This can mean buying wood, which is less efficient to just get by.
We want you to extend the coal subsidy so that we can get coal every month during the winter season. It strikes us, as sheer neglect by our state elected officials that the huge amount of coal that leaves McDowell County regularly cannot help to keep its citizens warm throughout all of the winter season.
For us who give of our rich natural resource yet cannot keep ourselves warm is a disgrace. This situation must change.
We expect that you will use your elected authority to provide coal heat by increasing the subsidy starting this winter of 2008. To wait or prolong this situation would be a message that our state officials take from us, but do not want to care for us.
Take the necessary action to meet this very basic need now.
As a volunteer for the Good Shepherd Ministries in Caretta, I am personally aware of the lack of coal for winter heat.
Shirley Woody
Yukon, W.Va.