A Bird on Water Street by Elizabeth O. Dulemba

Jack lives in a small mining town in Tennessee, but he doesn't want to become a seventh-generation copper miner. The pollution has killed most of the trees and other plants, and it's been awhile since they've even seen a bird. Things get serious when Jack's uncle dies, and the mining company lays off half of the workers. The remaining workers feel the conditions are becoming more dangerous, so they go on strike. Life was hard before, but now it's even worse. Jack's dream is to bring nature back to Coppertown, so he decides to do something about it.

Character versus society. Character versus character. Character versus nature. This book touches on all these types of conflict. Jack battles with the expectations of his father as well as the culture he lives in. He's frustrated that plants and animals can't survive in the environment; an exciting event for the kids is when the company dumps waste down a hill. The plot is not full of action, but it's definitely full of tension.