News
Ruining the Gauley
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008
July 23rd, 2008 – The following email was sent to the 30,000+ supporters of iLoveMountains.org. To sign up to receive free email alerts, click here.
I know you love mountains. You probably love rivers, too.
In West Virginia — and indeed in the entire nation — there are few rivers better known for their wild and scenic stretches than the Gauley and New Rivers.
People come from all over the nation to run these rivers, and to enjoy the beautiful landscapes of West Virginia and the hospitality of the local residents. These tourists contribute millions to the local economy.
Yet just a few miles from both the New and Gauley Rivers lies one of America’s Most Endangered Mountains — Gauley Mountain, West Virginia — which is being targeted for mountaintop removal coal mining:
http://ilovemountains.org/endangered/
We started the America’s Most Endangered Mountain video series because we wanted Americans to know that mountaintop removal coal mining destroys more than mountains.
It can destroy the valleys, streams and rivers that surround them — and the communities that rely upon them.
Take a few minutes to watch the lastest installment of the series — then, forward the video (or this email) on to all your friends and family who love our nation’s mountains and rivers, and ask them to join us in standing up to end mountaintop removal coal mining.
Watch the video here:
http://ilovemountains.org/endangered/
In the video, you’ll hear what the locals have to say about Big Coal’s plans to blow the top off of Gauley Mountain.
Roy Christ, an Episcopalian minister and President of the Historic Preservation Council in the nearby town of Ansted, says that “Coal mining is part of our history. But destroying the mountains by blowing the tops off of them is not part of our history.”
And Cary Huffman, a retired coal miner, says that “if the coal companies take it away by taking the top off these mountains, filling in the valleys, shutting down our watersupply… there’ll be nothing here for our kids in the future. They will have to leave.”
We need your help to amplify the voices of locals like Roy and Cary who are speaking out against the destruction of Gauley Mountain.
So please, watch the video and then forward it on to five friends or family members. Or, forward this email on to your friends who love rivers, and ask them to join you in standing up against mountaintop removal coal mining.
They can take a stand here:
http://ilovemountains.org/take_action/
Thank you for helping to get the word out.
Mary Anne Hitt
iLoveMountains.org
PS Would you be willing to visit your Congressional representatives’ local office while he or she is home during the August Congressional recess? We’ll guide you through the process of setting up the meeting, and supply you with materials that you can give to your representatives to make sure they understand the scale and scope of mountaintop removal coal mining.
Click here for more information on how you can make a tremendous difference:
http://ilovemountains.org/action/visit_your_rep/
You are receiving this message because you expressed an interest in ending mountaintop removal coal mining to one of the partner organizations of www.iLoveMountains.org. To modify your subscription preferences, click here.
