The Appalachian mountains are a priceless natural treasure. Its natural beauty is still unspoiled in many places. This region and its people share a beautiful but also often tragic history. It is one of a few regions left in all of North America that can boast of a pristine and beautiful nature not destroyed yet by human activity. Nevertheless the ecology of some parts of Appalachia has been damaged by coal mining due to lax environmental standards. We need all of the state governments involved and the U.S. federal authorities to strenghthen the present environmental laws and enact new ones where necessary throughout that beautiful region, especially in its coal mining areas.