by Sandra Bencic
synopsis
While underground mining has been the traditional method of coal retrieval in Appalachia, economic pressures for cheaper methods have resulted in mountaintop removal (also known as MTR), which involves blasting the tops off mountains and resettling the debris into valleys. While it provides jobs, MTR has altered the physical and cultural landscape of the Appalachian mountains and produced land, air, and water pollution. This documentary from filmmakers Phylis Geller and Mari-Lynn Evans explores the economic, environmental, and cultural tensions surrounding mountaintop removal set to a soundtrack of Appalachian-inspired music by country artists Justin Townes Earle, Tom T. Hall, and Kathy Mattea.
