The EE Sampler - Jefferson County Public Schools
The EE Sampler - Jefferson County Public Schools The EE Sampler - Jefferson County Public Schools
Transactive: Persuasive Writing Transactive writing is informative, persuasive or analytical writing that presents ideas and information in letters, speeches, editorials, and articles for an authentic audience. Persuasive writing, specifically, uses strategies to sway the reader to his/her viewpoint through a statement of benefits, identification of good reasons, and addressing problems as well as offering solutions. Contents Mining Proposal David Soleimani-Meigooni page 22 Native Species Letter David Soleimani-Meigooni page 23 Farming v. Fishing Kim Nelson page 24 Air Pollution Letter Jalaine Polk page 25 21
David Soleimani-Meigooni Mining Proposal Recently a Bush administration backed proposal, creating clearer standards for mining operations, is under review at the U.S. Office of Surface Mining. Although the proposal is presented under the guise of streamlining mining laws, it manages to relax 20-year-old restrictions that prevent mining activities near waterways. Current laws disallow the disturbance of land within 100 feet of a waterway, unless the company carrying-out the mining activity has clear and convincing evidence that their activities will not affect water quality and quantity. The Bush proposal would effectively erase the aforementioned law, allowing mining and waste disposal from mining activities to be performed adjacent to our streams, rivers, and lakes. Our natural water sources are life-sustaining. Why should we allow mining companies to stick their waste rock, containing sulfides and heavy metals, right beside open, unprotected water? Sulfides react with atmospheric moisture and oxygen to form sulfuric acid, which leaches into our water supply. Furthermore, these acids increase the mobility of the heavy metals in mining waste, thereby concentrating metals in our water. Yum—chemical waste in my community’s drinking water and the water that supports the plant and animal life of the stream. Other than the effect of the chemicals, we should also consider the effect of sediments. Sediment runoff from mining waste fills the niches available for sustaining a wide variety of aquatic life and makes breathing quite difficult for these organisms. Clearly, these bureaucrats in Washington either have not thought of the full scope of their actions or they genuinely do not care about turning our waterways into the equivalent of an open sewer, unfit for any purpose other than transporting waste. After all, these politicians don’t live in coal mining country and will never have to directly encounter this problem. Nonetheless, it is unacceptable for them to have the willingness to sacrifice life—something I thought that the President and his administration held sacred—for the purpose of economic health and cheap energy. We must voice our concern immediately. Call and write our congress representatives to implore them to fight for the health of our waterways by promoting the enforcement of the present mining standards. 22
- Page 1 and 2: The EE Sampler Selections from the
- Page 3 and 4: Introduction This environmental sam
- Page 5 and 6: The EE Sampler Selections from the
- Page 7 and 8: Cleaning Beargrass Creek Kristen Ba
- Page 9 and 10: the many shopping carts. We piled a
- Page 11 and 12: A Beargrass Creek Experience By: Du
- Page 13 and 14: Patti Reitz 13 Nov 2007 Second Hand
- Page 15 and 16: Do you hear the noise? By Vanessa H
- Page 17 and 18: Liz Gramiak to as “fussy” and o
- Page 19 and 20: Brian Durham Similarly, riding the
- Page 21 and 22: Rain Gardens: What, Why, and How? K
- Page 23: Disposal of Animal Waste Sarah Payn
- Page 29 and 30: Farming v. Fishing? Is One Industry
- Page 31 and 32: Literary Writing: Short Stories, Mo
- Page 33 and 34: Cory Child Urban Water “As you ca
- Page 35 and 36: The Lights come up with Evan and Ja
- Page 37 and 38: Literary Writing: Poetry Poetry is
- Page 39 and 40: Diana Neamtu The Oak Tree A tall oa
- Page 41: Recycle - Amy Kuhn Empty, Sort, Sta
David Soleimani-Meigooni<br />
Mining Proposal<br />
Recently a Bush administration backed proposal, creating clearer standards for mining<br />
operations, is under review at the U.S. Office of Surface Mining. Although the proposal is<br />
presented under the guise of streamlining mining laws, it manages to relax 20-year-old<br />
restrictions that prevent mining activities near waterways.<br />
Current laws disallow the disturbance of land within 100 feet of a waterway, unless the<br />
company carrying-out the mining activity has clear and convincing evidence that their activities<br />
will not affect water quality and quantity. <strong>The</strong> Bush proposal would effectively erase the<br />
aforementioned law, allowing mining and waste disposal from mining activities to be performed<br />
adjacent to our streams, rivers, and lakes.<br />
Our natural water sources are life-sustaining. Why should we allow mining companies to<br />
stick their waste rock, containing sulfides and heavy metals, right beside open, unprotected<br />
water? Sulfides react with atmospheric moisture and oxygen to form sulfuric acid, which leaches<br />
into our water supply. Furthermore, these acids increase the mobility of the heavy metals in<br />
mining waste, thereby concentrating metals in our water. Yum—chemical waste in my<br />
community’s drinking water and the water that supports the plant and animal life of the stream.<br />
Other than the effect of the chemicals, we should also consider the effect of sediments.<br />
Sediment runoff from mining waste fills the niches available for sustaining a wide variety of<br />
aquatic life and makes breathing quite difficult for these organisms.<br />
Clearly, these bureaucrats in Washington either have not thought of the full scope of their<br />
actions or they genuinely do not care about turning our waterways into the equivalent of an open<br />
sewer, unfit for any purpose other than transporting waste. After all, these politicians don’t live<br />
in coal mining country and will never have to directly encounter this problem. Nonetheless, it is<br />
unacceptable for them to have the willingness to sacrifice life—something I thought that the<br />
President and his administration held sacred—for the purpose of economic health and cheap<br />
energy. We must voice our concern immediately. Call and write our congress representatives to<br />
implore them to fight for the health of our waterways by promoting the enforcement of the<br />
present mining standards.<br />
22
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