Friend of Coal becomes it's victim

[DogPoundPup]

ABANDONED MINE IMPERILS HOME OF EX-LEGISLATOR

October 14 2008

An abandoned coal mine is causing an Eastern Kentucky hillside to slide slowly onto the home of former state Rep. Howard Cornett, R-Whitesburg, who championed coal companies in the legislature.

The "continual flow" of water from the abandoned mine has saturated Cornett's yard and the foundation of his home, according to Steve Hohmann, director of the Division of Abandoned Mine Lands. Parts of the hill are sliding down, putting the house at risk.

Long a defender of coal companies' interests, Cornett lost his seat after he unsuccessfully pushed a bill to allow more overweight trucks on state roads, angering his constituents who considered such trucks dangerous. In fiery speeches, Cornett said his opponents wanted to destroy the coal industry.

"Howard Cornett wasn't sympathetic when we asked for protection from overweight coal trucks or when we asked for protection from hazardous coal-mining practices. Now the shoe is on the other foot," said Patty Amburgey of Letcher County, a former Cornett constituent who is active with the grassroots group Kentuckians for the Commonwealth.

The woman who replaced Cornett, Rep. Leslie Combs, D-Pikeville, said Monday that abandoned coal mine sites, including slurry ponds, pose environmental and safety hazards throughout Eastern Kentucky.http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/554476.html

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Karma sure is a bitch, ain't it??

[Greyskye]

2. Ain't that a shame?

Too bad he still has enough political connections to get a concrete retaining wall built to try and save his house.

Unlike almost everyone else in the state that have problems of their own with abandoned coal mines. :grr:

[tanyev]

3. And he's accepting help from the government to try and save it.

What happened? Lost hold of his bootstraps?