East Blue Hills Cat Litter Miners Block Railroad Demanding Back Pay - 15 Jan 2020


Boson, MASS: Once again the East Blue Hills United Mine Workers of America are involved in a labor dispute.  Workers claim that they have not received paychecks or direct deposits since 16 December 2019.  The Cat-Litter Company spokesman said, "the checks in the mail," when reached by this reporter.  There has been no disruption to the supply of cat litter to Boson retail outlets because there are so many companies that sell so many different styles of cat litter.  Cats, of course, don't know anything about the dispute. 



Green Party Boson leader Rebecca Sunnybrooke has called for an end to all mining in Massachusetts, whether for coal or for cat litter.  The Animal Rights wing has pointed out that cat litter is 'strip mined' and all 'strip mining' is wrong and harmful to the Earth. 

Sodium Bentonite is one of the most popular constituents of clump cat litter. Mining bentonite makes business sense only when it is found close to the surface of the earth. Therefore, it is strip mined for cat litter. The top layer of the earth (the overburden) is removed to take away the clay. Even though there are laws that the land must be left as it was and filled and flattened, how scrupulously such laws are followed is anyone’s guess.

Coal is also obtained through strip mining. The following excerpt is both relevant and significant:
The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) was passed in 1977. This established federal regulations for surface mining and required federal permits for mining on federal land. The act also created the Office of Surface Mining (under the Department of the Interior) which was charged with restoring abandoned surface mines and enforcing the SMCRA regulations.

Difficulties with Reclamation Efforts

In general, however, reclamation can be very difficult. This is because the original ecosystem removed by the strip mine represents a delicate balance of plants, animals, microbes, and soil nutrients, and soil structure resulting from eons of plant succession and nutrient fluxes in and out of the system. Re-establishing this balance in the short-term is at best a scientifically challenging endeavor.
(NMSEA.ORG)
So much for post strip mining replenishment of the environment.

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