News
Concerned Citizens Take a Stand at Coal River Mountain
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009
Operation Endangers Community, Destroys Wind Energy Potential
Residents of the Coal River Valley, accompanied by supporters from across Appalachia, took a stand this morning against the impending destruction of their mountain in the name of coal. Five activists with Climate Ground Zero and Mountain Justice chained themselves to an excavator and a bulldozer at the Massey operation near Pettus, West Virginia (shown above). All five (Rory McImoil, Matt Noerpel, James McGuiness
Mike Roselle, Glen Collins and videographer Chad Stevens) were arrested for trespassing by 10:00 a.m. this morning.
Beginning at 11 a.m., demonstrators blocked access to the roads that Massey Energy’s equipment will use to prepare Coal River Mountain for blasting, leading to an additional eight arrests (Lorelie Scarbro, Larry Gibson, Charles Nelson, Missy Petty, Mary Wildfire, Vernon Haltom, Allen Johson and Heather Sprouse). Others peacefully (and legally) protested the blasting nearby on a public roadway. A public rally was held at 1:00 p.m. today.
The slogan displayed on the protesters’ banner “Windmills Not Toxic Spills,” stems from residents’ and activists’ concern over the safety of Massey’s plans for blasting, which include sites over former underground mines beside a nine billion gallon sludge dam full of toxic coal waste.
“I fear for my friends and all the people living below this coal sludge dam,” said Gary Anderson, who lives near the site. “Blasting beside the dam, over underground mines, could decimate the valley for miles. The ‘experts’ said that the Buffalo Creek sludge dam was safe, but it failed. They said that the TVA sludge dam was safe, but it failed. Massey is setting up an even greater catastrophe here.”
As an alternative, residents are advocating for a wind farm on the site as it would provide clean, renewable energy and long-term jobs.
“The governor and county legislators have failed to act, so we’re acting for them,” said activist Rory McIlmoil, who has led the Coal River Wind campaign. “They can’t allow the wind potential on Coal River Mountain to be destroyed, and the nearby communities endangered, for only 17 years of coal,” McMoil said, adding that “there is a better way to develop the mountain and strengthen the local economy that will create lasting jobs and tax revenues for this county, and that’s with wind power.”
Their concerns about their safety and the reality of the alternatives are well documented. A 2008 report by the federal Office of Surface Mining revealed serious deficiencies in the WVDEP’s regulation of coal waste dams (www.wvgazette.com/News/200901110512?page=1&build=cache). The Coal River Wind Project relies on wind studies, and economic analyses of the benefits of wind vs. mountaintop removal for the community. The project received the 2008 Building Economic Alternatives Award from Co-op America.
“We can’t sit by while Massey jeopardizes the lives and homes of thousands of people,” said Vernon Haltom of Naoma. “Governor Manchin and the West Virginia Dept. of Environmental Protection have proven that they are unwilling to protect the citizens. What do they expect us to do? Will they wait until we’re in body bags to take this threat seriously?” In November, WVDEP approved a permit revision allowing Massey to begin the mountaintop removal operation. Despite citizens’ objections, DEP denied public participation in its decision process.
“We need to stop the madness and stop Massey from blowing up our beautiful mountain,” resident Gary Andersen adds. “We need to go with the better energy option, and that’s a wind farm, which is perfect for Coal River Mountain. We could have a green energy future for the country, starting right here.”
For updates, photos and video footage, go to http://climategroundzero.org
West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin’s office can be reached at 1-888-438-2731, or you can contact his office online using our simple web form to email the governor.
February 12th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Please preserve our mountains and promote efficiency and renewables to meet our energy needs. Thank you!
February 12th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Dear Gov. Manchin:
Please pay attention to the residents of our state who believe that the best route into the future is to move away from the destructive practices that are destroying the land in favor of very short term gains. There are serious ramifications to the mining methods used by Massey Coal, and that is simply too high a price to pay. We see through all levels of our society the costs of allowing corporate interests trump the needs of the people, and mining is no different. We must devise a sustainable way to extract coal without the destruction of the land that contains it, or eliminate the use of it and find alternatives. We cannot put this off.
February 12th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
DEAR GOVERNOR MANCHIN, I HAVE BEEN VISITING YOUR BEAUTIFUL STATE SINCE 1995,IT IS MY DESTINATION IN THE SPRING AND AGAIN IN THE FALL. I AM FROM THE SOUTERNTIER OF NEW YORK STATE AND ALTHOUGH IT IS VERY SENIC HERE IT CANNOT COMPARE WITH THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE MOUNTAINS OF WEST VIRGINIA, PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW THESE MOUNTAINS TO BE DESTROYED BY THE BIG COAL COMPANIES FOR THE SAKE OF PROFIT. ONCE THEY ARE GONE THEY ARE GONE FOREVER AND CAN NEVER BE REPLACED.PLEASE DO ALL THAT IS WITHIN YOUR POWER TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING.
BEST REGARDS…JEFFREY JONES
February 12th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
The lives lost to cancer from toxins in our air, the wildlife and landscape devastation left in the wake of this mountaintop blasting has got to come to a halt. Please take a stand along with others hoping for a cleaner, healthier future for everyone concerned. Move into this new century working towards renewable, clean energy such as wind and solar.
Thank you,
Rochelle Willis
February 12th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Please do not commit further crime against the beautiful State of West Virginia. Stop Mountain Top Removal mining.
February 12th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
The devastation caused by mountain top removal to many species, including our own, is staggering. The only part of this process that’s even more extraordinary THAN THAN MINING, is the reality that people, obsessed with the procurement of wealth and power, came up with THIS counterintuitive, SENSELESS method of coal mining. IT MUST BE STOPPED NOW. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GREEN/CLEAN COAL! WHAT KIND OF IDIOTS DO YOU THINK WE ARE. HOW MANY SPILLS AND CONTAMINATED FALLOUTS WILL IT TAKE TO REALISTICALLY ASSESS THIS FOLLY FOR THE STUPIDITY IT IS?
THIS MUST BE STOPPED NOW!! IT IS MADNESS!!LOTS OF MONEY MUST BE INVESTED IN GENUINE ‘ALTERNATIVE’ ENERGY. We need to go with the better energy option, and that’s a wind farm, which is perfect for Coal River MountaiN farmn. We could have a green energy future for the country AND IT MUST START NOW. PSYCHOPATHS LIKE YOU NEED TO BE CLOSELY MONITERED!
February 12th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
We admire the anti-coal activists for taking a stand
against Big Coal industries that destroy their quality
of life. We need clean energy’s like wind and solar
power to address our energy problems. We can no longer
rely on depleting fossil fuels like coal or oil.
Stop the environmental disasters like the coal industry impact that is destroying the very lifelines of so many people!STOP THE POLLUTERS NOW!
February 12th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Dear Sir:
I write to you in solidarity with the “I Love Mountains” organization. It seems to me that what the big coal mining companies are doing is not only environmentally irresponsible, but actually illegal.
West Virginia, as the song says, is “almost heaven”. Please don’t allow the despoilers to make it into a hell.
Regards,
Bill Tower
February 12th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Dear Governor Manchin,
I wish all the Appalachians which are all connected could stay in beautiful pristine condition – this is the only way we can encourage tourism. The mountains deserve to be protected, as well as the families living there – it is their way of life which is threatened with mountaintop removal. These mountains are millions of years old. When they are removed they are gone forever. Please be a good custodian of our mountains they are our only and best asset!
Please stop Mountaintop removal!
Leigh Shader AIA, LEED AP
February 12th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
I have been a summer resident of SW Va for past 10 years and plan to be full time resident as soon as I can sell my home. I have been completely devastated by the new “Moonscapes” in SW Va as well as in West Virginia. My husband is from WVA. The first time I saw the completely desimated landscape I was in AWE, someone saw us taking pictures (from the Coal Company) and told us the land would be restored to way it was. Well ten years later, it has not been, as well as lots of erosion. I fear that these beautiful areas of the Applachians will become another California with massive mud slides etc. They plant no trees and when they do they plant cheap pines that can be lumbered for paper, instead of hardwoods such as maples that show the beauty and will draw many tourist to area. The Applachians are the oldest mountains in the world, are we going to be known as the generation that let them be destroyed.?
February 13th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
We need to make our own energy without harming the environment…ex.wind turbines and any renewable resource we have…no polluting and spreading toxic coal tar to harm our people….
February 13th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Y’ALL LOST!
http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2009/02/13/coal-country-appeals-court-rejects-mountaintop-mining-restrictions/
February 14th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Stop the environmentally destructive mountaintop removal as part of the coal mining process.
February 24th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
I am an ex-Cincinnatian, who has traveled Appalachia,and have read ” Night comes To The Cumberland” by Harry M. Caudill. I have seen the mountain beauty before, and the PERMANENT distruction, recently. I have read the list of elected officials taking campaign money from Massey and the other “Peabody’s”. I want PUBLIC financing of political campaigns, to end this corporate whoring.