By Madison Hinshaw, Communications Editorial Intern in Spring 2012.

Tennessee has got the ball rolling as many anti-mountaintop removal allies are writing in to their local newspapers to get their voices heard.The mountains of Appalachia are some of the oldest and most beautiful found in the U.S., and they are being slowly destroyed by mountaintop removal.

The Tennessee Scenic Vistas Protection Act is a bipartisan bill that will prohibit surface mining at elevations higher than 2,000 ft. If this bill is passed, there will be NO more mountaintop removal in Tennessee, and it will also be the first state to ban mountaintop removal.

Here are some letters to the editor published in city newspapers in Tennessee:
Bristol: http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/jan/29/save-mountains-tennessee-virginia-ar-1647406/
Chattanooga: http://www.chattanoogan.com/2012/1/27/218181/Scenic-Vistas-Not-A-Jobs-Issue.aspx
Knoxville: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jan/24/letter-support-vistas-protection-act/
Nashville: http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120116/OPINION02/120115012/Mining-industry-should-not-demonize-40-Days-Prayer

Thanks Tennessee for your persistent efforts to help end the injustice of mountaintop removal. Way to go everyone, and keep those letters to the editor flowing!