ABSTRACT
Forexample,whiletheruralareashavegainedjobsfromthedecisionsof theBSCandNCB,theyhavealsoborneconsiderablecosts.Thesecostshave been'environmental'.Valleyshavebeenfloodedandfieldsoverturnedand badlyrestored.Transportationfromopencastsitesisinvariablybyheavylorries whichoftenrunthroughnarrowroadsandlanes.Giventhis,therehasbeen considerablelocalobjectiontothemannerandscaleofopencastdevelopment inthenortheast.Itisimportanttopointoutthatitwasenvironmentalgroups andnottheminers'unionortheLabour-controlledcouncilsthatfirstorganizedaresponsetothechaoticdevelopmentswhich'marketrequirements'were wreakingupontheregion'scoaleconomy.Repeatedlythroughoutthe1970s, ascokingcoalstocksrose,theNCBOpencastExecutiveattemptedtoopenhuge opencastsitesintheDerwentValley.There,theDerwentValleyProtection Society,inassociationwiththeCouncilfortheProtectionofRuralEngland,
raised deep and serious questions about the logic which underpinned the extension of this form of coal supply. Increasingly they raised the question of 'need'. Why was this coking coal needed? For which markets? How certain was the NCB of the long-term stability of these markets?
