When the market for coal collapsed, the coal companies “closed their doors and left town,” leaving behind acid mine drainage, coal breakers, deep mines, open strip mines and pits and other environmental perils, and no money with which to pay for the cleanup.
When the coal market was booming, the coal-producing states should have been taxing the coal companies’ profits to establish environmental funds to restore the environment to its natural state.
At the present time, the natural gas-producing states should be taxing the profits of the gas companies to establish funds to restore the environment to its natural state.
Otherwise, the taxpayers will be shafted again into being responsible for the environmental cleanups. The gas companies won’t be any different than the coal companies.
Last year, instead of giving tax cuts to these gas-producing corporations, the Legislature should have been increasing their taxes to pay for necessary cleanup funds in the future.
David L. Faust,
Selinsgrove