Writer/director David Novack examines the conflicting forces that have prompted a potentially explosive conflict between the coal industry and the residents of West Virginia who question the impact of extraction on their quiet way of life. Troubled by the emergence of a coal-based U.S. energy policy, West Virginia activists try their hardest to educate the public about the potentially destructive effect of mining for coal: not only would ground water be rendered toxic, but 1.4 million acres of mountains would be demolished as well. Now forced to do battle with a powerful government that seems to cater especially to industry, these determined activists will go to any lengths necessary in order to get their voices heard and preserve their traditional way of life.