The Executive Council recommends this resolution be sent to a committee of the General Synod:

Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining in Appalachia
Submitted by the Central Atlantic Conference

Approved
A Resolution of Witness

SUMMARY

Mountaintop removal coal mining devastates communities and the environment. We urge the United Church of Christ to work to bring it to an end and encourage the use of clean, renewable energy. Power can be generated in ways that are sustainable and beneficial to the health of Appalachia’s mountains and eco-systems, and the people who live there. For example, in West Virginia’s Coal River Valley, the mountains can sustain wind farms that lead to power generation, local jobs, and a sustainable eco-system. We cannot move from one destructive source of energy to another for this region. Clean energy is the answer for Appalachia.

BACKGROUND

Mountaintop removal coal mining has a devastating impact on the economy, ecology, and communities of Appalachia. Mining companies use heavy explosives to blow the tops off mountains in order to reach a thin seam of coal. The companies then dump this “overburden” – millions of tons of rubble and toxic waste – into the streams and valleys below the mining sites.

This destructive practice has damaged or destroyed nearly 2,000 miles of streams and threatens to destroy 1.4 million acres of mountaintops and forests by 2020. The mining poisons drinking water, destroys beautiful forests and wildlife habitat, increases the risk of flooding, and wipes out entire communities.

Mountaintop removal pollutes waterways and allows toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, selenium, and arsenic to leach into local water supplies — the same water that Appalachia’s people rely on. But the danger is not limited to drinking water; mountaintop removal also causes air pollution that affects communities for miles around. Many of the toxins that pollute mountaintop-removal sites are carcinogens, and cancer rates are twice as high for people who live near mountaintop-removal sites.

When mountains are demolished for coal mining, they are gone forever. They lose their topsoil and forest, animal habitat and ability to filter water, and they become uninhabitable places for humans and animals.

Mountaintop removal also destroys the valleys in Appalachia where people have lived for centuries. It destroys their culture, their way of making a living, and their family structures. It occurs in remote places where there is very little self-determining political organization and is a colonization and exploitation of the land by outside interests. If it were a profitable enterprise for the people of Appalachia, then they would at least benefit economically. The opposite is true, however, as the Appalachian counties are consistently among the economically poorest in the United States.

BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL AND ETHICAL RATIONALE

Mountaintop removal is a permanent desecration of the gift of creation by a benevolent and gracious Creator. God created the earth and everything in it, and God calls upon humans numerous times in the Bible to be a steward of the divine creation – to protect, care for, and learn from it:

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; and the world and they that dwell therein.” – Psalm 24:1
“You shall not pollute the land in which you live… you shall not defile the land in which you live, in which I also dwell.” – Numbers 35: 33-34

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you; or birds of the air and they will tell you; or speak to the earth and it will teach you; or let the fish of the sea inform you…In God’s hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” – Job 12:7-10

The Bible further calls for justice for the poor and oppressed:

“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” – Isaiah 1:16-17

“What does the Lord require of thee but to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God?” – Micah 6:8

TEXT OF THE MOTION

WHEREAS mountaintop removal coal mining destroys God’s creation by blowing up mountains and burying streams throughout Appalachia; and

WHEREAS mountaintop removal coal mining harms Appalachian communities; and

WHEREAS mountaintop removal coal mining causes the displacement of entire Appalachian communities and their culture; and

WHEREAS as people of faith, we look to the scriptures for guidance for the choices we make in our lives; and

WHEREAS we understand scriptures compel us to act on our faith grounded in wonder, reverence, love, and respect for all of God’s creation; and

WHEREAS we are called to spiritual and lifestyle transformation based on justice and reverence for all of God’s creatures and creation…

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Twenty-ninth General Synod of the United Church of Christ express its opposition to mountaintop removal coal mining and its support for clean, renewable sources of energy;

Be it further resolved, that the Twenty-ninth General Synod of the United Church of Christ requests Justice and Witness Ministries to share these concerns about mountaintop removal coal mining by presenting a copy of this resolution to all appropriate federal and state agencies, congressional committees and elected officials;

Be it further resolved, that the Twenty-ninth General Synod of the United Church of Christ urges the legislative and executive branches of the federal government to pass legislation and enforce environmental safeguards to end the devastating practice of mountaintop removal coal mining;

Be it further resolved, that the Twenty-ninth General Synod of the United Church of Christ calls upon Justice and Witness Ministries, to provide associations, conferences, and congregations with information and timely direction for needed action that can help end mountaintop removal coal mining;

Be it further resolved, the Twenty-ninth General Synod of the United Church of Christ encourages United Church of Christ congregations and all other settings of the church to identify their sources of electricity and, if sourced from mountaintop removal coal mining, encourages them to change to renewable sources of energy;

Be it further resolved, that the Twenty-ninth General Synod of the United Church of Christ encourages United Church of Christ congregations to educate themselves and their communities about the effects of mountaintop removal coal mining and economic options available to Appalachian communities, by intentionally engaging in advocacy and action against mountaintop removal coal mining and for continued care of creation;

Be it further resolved, that the Twenty-ninth General Synod of the United Church of Christ advocates for renewable energy and sustainable sources of income to replace mountaintop removal coal mining in Appalachia in order to create jobs and boost local economies and encourages United Church of Christ congregations to do likewise.

Be it further resolved, that the Twenty-ninth General Synod of the United Church of Christ asks the leadership of the United Church of Christ to continue efforts to end mountaintop removal coal mining and engage leaders of other religious traditions and relevant organizations to implement efforts to stop mountaintop removal coal mining.

FUNDING

Funding for the implementation of the resolution will be made in accordance with the overall mandates of the affected agencies and the funds available.

IMPLEMENTATION

The Collegium of Officers, in consultation with appropriate ministries or other entities within the United Church of Christ, will determine the implementing body

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RESOURCES:
Christians for the Mountains: christiansforthemountains.org
Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign: beyondcoal.org
Appalachian Voices: appvoices.org
I Love Mountains: ilovemountains.org
Appalachian Mountain Advocates: appalmad.org
“The Last Mountain” documentary: thelastmountainmovie.com
“Deep Down” documentary: deepdownfilm.org
“Coal Country” documentary: coalcountrythemovie.com