Useful books
DIGGING UP TROUBLE
The Environment, Protest and Opencast Mining
A new book "Digging Up Trouble" (to be published in January 2000) breaks new ground by examining the controversial topic of opencast coal mining in the UK.
The co-authors (Professor Huw Beynon, School of Social Studies, University of Cardiff; Dr Andrew Cox, an independent energy consultant; and Professor Ray Hudson, Department of Geography, University of Durham) critically examine a wide range of issues -including the key technical, social, legal and environmental impacts of opencast mining.
The book's 300+ pages contain a large volume of references, information and data on the recent developments in the UK coal sector - including the process of privatisation, the impact of environmental regulation and the threats to UK-mined coal from overseas coal imports and gas-fired power generation.
The UK mining companies have increasingly found themselves involved in various conflicts with many local communities and environmental groups. The changing arguments used by both the mining companies and the opponents of new opencast site proposals (plus the pattern of protest over the last quarter century) are thoroughly examined in text.
The future outlook for the UK coal industry is also considered -particularly in the light of the regulatory and structural changes that have taken place since the election of the Labour Government in 1997.
A key feature of "Digging Up Trouble" is the presentation of the words and actions of local people, politicians, planners and industrialists in a way which allows the reader to understand and analyse the different interests and perceptions which bear upon local planning decisions. It compares the world of "common sense" with that of the "expert" and shows how this relates to political and economic decision-making processes.
This highly readable book should appeal to a wide audience - both in the UK and overseas.
Contents
1. Two Industries in One: Opencast and Deep Mining Historical Origins The Plan for Coal (1974) The Expansion of Opencast: A Reconstructed Industry An Industry Transformed
2. Regulating Opencast The Commission on Energy & the Environment (Flowers Report) An Attempt at Compromise A Market-led Approach The Interim Guidance The First Revision of MPG3
3. Opencast Mining: The Challenge The Opencast Environmentalists A Question of Reserves and the Environment The Economics of Opencast The Question of Quality Checking Handleability Opencast Employment
4. Living with Opencast The Perceived Threat The Impact on the Community and Daily Life The Cumulative Effect of Opencast Working The Effect upon Health Restoration of Sites Breaches of Planning Conditions Planning Gain
5. The State, the Public and the Inquiry The Inspector and the Inspectorate Forms of Appeal The Public Inquiry Public Inquiries - The Cast of Characters Public Participation in Opencast Inquiries
6. Democracy? What Democracy? Regional Regeneration The Tinsley Park Story - The Initial Offer The Opposition The Plan in Operation 7. Changing Patterns of Protest Under the Hegemony of Coal Dissent Organised Opposition and Conflict New Patterns of Protest Direct Action
8. New Government, New Policies The Trouble with Coal Crisis in the Deep Mines New Policies for Opencast More Openness - More Democracy?
9. Conclusions The Decline of Coal Mining Patterns of Protest and Opposition A New Politics of the Environment
Appendices: MPG3 (Revised) Public Inquiry Decisions Useful Addresses Bibliography
Index
Price / Ordering Information
The book is priced at £14.95p in paperback or £35 in hard-back edition (plus £1.50p postage in the UK).
Cheques should be made payable to "Rivers Oram Press" and posted to:
Lucy Shipton, Rivers Oram Press, 144 Hemmingford Road, London N1 1DE, UK. Tel: 0171-607 0823 FAX: 0171-609 2776 Email: lucyshipton@hotmail.com
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