The reason that regular citizens like us beat the coal lobby was laid out by Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman Barbara Boxer quite plainly:
…[The Republican negotiators] walked away from [mountaintop removal] because that would have been very unpopular.”
Citizens from Appalachia met with 100% of the House and Senate delegation representing central Appalachia, and in all participants met with 200 House and Senate office. This included 20 members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, 11 members of the Water Resources and meetings with House and Committee leadership. The cosponsor number of the Clean Water Protection Act has already climbed to 66 members and is growing rapidly. We met with roughly half of all Senate offices, including 5 members of the Environment and Public Works Committee, 15 members, and Senate leadership. Several West Virginia participants had this memorable encounter with Senator Jay Rockefeller.
Dustin White had this to say about the encounter:
I want people to be clear on what this is. I am calling Rockefeller out. Be a man and come talk to the people effected, or keep hiding behind the shirt tails of the Industry. It is THAT simple.
Besides meeting with important bipartisan legislators on both sides of the Hill, citizens met with EVERY federal agency that regulates mountaintop removal.
Kate Rooth, Appalachian Voices’ National Field Coordinator adds:
We had meetings with EVERY federal agency that regulates mountaintop removal. Sadly it is more clear now than ever that we need a law if we are going to end mountaintop removal. We made our demands clear and will be following up with routine conference calls to track the progress of the agencies.
Whether it was in the White House, at the Office of Surface Mining, or on the Hill, the Alliance for Appalachia pulled off an amazing event that kept powerful budget negotiators from including anti-mountain riders to the budget, and just as certainly will keep making sure that we are creating the political will to end mountaintop removal immediately!
Austin Hall had this to say about the Week in Washington:
Never has the movement to end mountaintop removal faced such dire threats (budget amendments, stand alone bills, powerful coal state legislators, etc.) Our voice, up until the citizens Week in Washington, was being drowned out. These efforts raised our issue back into the limelight in Washington DC.
For more pictures of this years’ Week in Washington, please check back to our feed on Flickr.
Anna Jane Joyner is a rockin’ activist from North Carolina who just went on the We Love Mountains tour with a number of bands in order to harness the power of music to spread the word about mountaintop removal mining. She is one of the over 150 people who are here in Washington DC for our 6th Annual End Mountaintop Removal Week in Washington. Anna Jane interviewed one of our other participants, Deborah Payne from Berea, KY (Energy and & Health Coordinator, Kentucky Environmental Foundation).
1. Why are you here in DC for the Week in Washington?
Our state (Kentucky) is deeply imbedded in the culture of the coal industry and pays little regard to the harmful impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining on nearby communities. We need to take the focus off politics and money and refocus it on the health of Kentucky’s citizens. As citizens, it is our right and responsibility to communicate to members of Congress the urgent need to end this unnecessary form of mining that is literally killing Kentucky citizens.
2. Why are you passionate about mountaintop removal?
Our country’s energy needs are based on an antiquated form of energy production. We have so many opportunities right now to expand and diversity our energy sources and more importantly, foster healthier and more vibrant communities in the coalfields. People from Appalachia deserve the right to clean air and water.
3. What is your favorite thing/important lesson/surprising aspect about the week in Washington so far?
It’s exciting to gather with people across America from very different walks of life who are all passionate about this issue. In particular, I’m inspired and moved by the many people here from the coalfields who are living with this tragedy every day.
4. Why do you think citizen activism is important?
Any change in this country requires engagement with our leaders who make our policies. Overarching change requires us to put our voice into action through civic engagement and activism.
(Washington, D.C.) — With amendments to the federal budget bill threatening to undermine the effectiveness of the Environmental Protection Agency, citizens from Appalachia are stepping forward to ask Congress to protect their communities.
As debate over the budget continues in the Senate, over 150 citizens with the Alliance for Appalachia are converging on Capitol Hill this week to address the adverse impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining and to witness key members of Congress unveil a bill to permanently end the radical form of strip mining.
“We, the people of Appalachia, are made to give up our homes and communities, our culture and heritage, our health and even our lives so others can turn on a light bulb,” says Dustin White, a volunteer with Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition. “So we come to D.C. to tell Congress and our President we will no longer be ignored and we will no longer be sacrificed.”
On Tuesday, Congressmen Frank Pallone of New Jersey and David Reichert of Washington state, along with more than 50 original cosponsors, introduced the Clean Water Protection Act, legislation to prevent the dumping of coal mine waste into valley fills—a method that buries headwater streams and contaminates nearby ground and drinking water with heavy metals and other pollutants.
“This bill alleviates the wide array of human and environmental health issues directly correlated with mountaintop removal coal mining by restoring the Clean Water Act to its original intent,” said Congressman Pallone. “By redefining fill material, we’ll be able to keep toxic mining waste out of our nation’s streams.”
Under the Obama administration, the EPA has taken steps to limit mountaintop removal mining, but several pieces of legislation—including policy amendments in the federal budget bill that would severely curtail the agency’s authority to regulate the practice—threaten the EPA’s ability to limit environmental and community health impacts.
Mountaintop removal mining relies on heavy explosives to blast off several hundred feet of mountain to expose coal seams, and has impacted over 500 mountains in West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee to date. According to the EPA, the practice has also buried or destroyed more than 2,000 miles of streams in those states.
Residents who live in proximity to mountaintop removal mine sites complain of orange and black tap water flowing from their faucets, breathing in coal dust floating in the air outside their homes and higher-than-normal cancer rates.
“If we are serious about moving America toward a clean energy future, banning mountaintop removal must be the first step,” says Jane Branham of the Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards. “For our economy, for our health, and for our heritage—we need this administration and this Congress to act.”
Appalachian coal-mining regions have traditionally had high rates of unemployment, even prior to the current economic downturn, and the central Appalachian region contends with some of the highest poverty rates in the country. According to Mine Safety and Health Administration, because of the mechanized nature of mountaintop removal which replaces men with explosives and large equipment, underground mines produce more jobs than mountaintop removal mines for the same amount of coal produced.
“Americans want to see an end to the destruction of our oldest and most biologically diverse mountains, and the administration has taken limited steps towards restricting the impacts of mountaintop removal,” says J.W. Randolph, Legislative Associate for Appalachian Voices, a non-profit organization working on the issue. “Congress needs to listen to the will of the people and pass legislation that would help to end mountaintop removal, and block any legislative attempt to enshrine the practice.”
Members of the Alliance for Appalachia include: The Appalachian Citizens Law Center, Appalachian Voices, Appalshop, Coal River Mountain Watch, Heartwood, Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, Mountain Association for Community Economic Development, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards, SouthWings, SOCM (Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment), and West Virginia Highlands Conservancy.
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Photo and Video Opportunities and Hi-Res Photos available.
Interviews available upon request
Anna Jane Joyner is a rockin’ activist from North Carolina who just went on the We Love Mountains tour with a number of bands in order to harness the power of music to spread the word about mountaintop removal mining. She is one of the over 150 people who are here in Washington DC for our 6th Annual End Mountaintop Removal Week in Washington. Anna Jane interviewed one of our other participants, Ben Stark from Grand Rapids, MI, and is a senior at Calvin College.
1. Why are you here in DC for the Week in Washington?
Over the past two years, Restoring Eden, (a faith-based organization that works with Christian college students) introduced me to the issue of mountaintop removal coal mining. Since then our environmental group at Calvin College, the Environmental Stewardship Coalition, has really taken it on, especially with realizing the environmental justice connections and learning that some of our energy on campus comes from mountaintop removal coal. As a Christian, I am passionate about working towards justice and good stewardship and that means actively addressing areas where we’re not being good stewards of the earth and participating in systems that are harming our neighbors.
2. Why are you passionate about mountaintop removal?
In Michigan, we don’t have mountains- so the beauty and splendor of the Appalachian Mountains really struck me the first time I saw them. And more than just the beauty of the landscape, I feel drawn to Appalachian culture and want to stand in solidarity with the people of Appalachia as they fight for their mountains, health, and culture.
3. What is your favorite thing/important lesson/surprising aspect about the week in Washington so far?
Even though they’re hard to hear, I really value hearing the stories and struggles of coalfield residents.
4. Why do you think citizen activism is important?
Currently policy-making is way too driven by money and large corporations and not constituents’ needs and wants. Many people don’t know how important citizen activism is and how much of a difference we can really make by just reaching out and connecting with our elected officials. As a Christian and a young person, I recognize the importance of speaking out and engaging in the political process.
Anna Jane Joyner is from the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. In recent years, she has worked with people of faith across the country to end the tragedy of mountaintop removal, including leading Restoring Eden’s campaign to end mountaintop removal. These days, she’s a proud resident of Minnesota and is taking some time off to read, play, write, and hike. She remains a proud volunteer activist for Appalachian Voices and Restoring Eden and is stoked to be in DC this week working to protect the people, mountains, and streams of her Appalachian homeland.
At this very moment, over 150 people – concerned citizens from across the U.S. together with citizens directly impacted by mountaintop removal – are in our nation’s capital for the 6th Annual End Mountaintop Removal Week in Washington.
They are urging members of Congress to cosponsor the Clean Water Protection Act, which would help to end mountaintop removal coal mining by regulating valley fills, which is a process that buries headwater streams with mining waste. You can support them from home – with a phone call to your member of Congress.
We are winning, because of your support – and we need you more than ever. Big Coal has been seen our progress – and is working overtime to erase our victories and block the passage of this bill.
Over the next three days I am going to be on Capitol Hill working with the Georgia Congressional delegation to end mountain top removal. I just met with Senator Chambliss’ environmental staffer. She spoke about Chambliss having a balance between cheap domestic energy and environmental concerns. My question is, what environmental concerns has Chambliss ever had? He has a 0% rating from the League of Conservation Voters. Meanwhile Georgia’s growing appetite for coal destroys more mountains every day. Stay tuned for more updates about my meetings with the Georgia congressional delegation.
Jeremy Cherson is an Environmental Policy student at American University and an intern at The Wilderness Society. He is a contributor every Tuesday to the Wilderness University of Georgia blog.
National Movement to End Mountaintop Removal Continues to Gain Momentum
Scores of Activists Gather in D.C. to Ask Congress and President Obama to End the Controversial Mining Practice
(WASHINGTON D.C.) – This week over 150 citizens from more than 30 states are gathering in the nation’s capital to urge Congress to end mountaintop removal coal mining and protect the health of residents in central Appalachia.
Participants in the annual End Mountaintop Removal Week in Washington will conduct over 100 meetings with members of Congress during three days, lobbying in support of the Clean Water Protection Act and the Appalachia Restoration Act—two bills in Congress that would significantly curtail mountaintop removal mining by preventing the dumping of mine waste into streams and valley fills, burying headwater streams.
“We, the people of Appalachia are made to give up our homes and communities, our culture and heritage, our health and even our lives so others can turn on a light bulb,” says Dustin White, a volunteer with Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition. “So we come to D.C. to tell Congress and our President we will no longer be ignored and we will no longer be sacrificed.”
Mountaintop removal coal mining is a radical form of strip mining that has impacted over 500 mountains and buried over 2,000 miles of streams in central Appalachia. Residents who live in proximity of mine sites complain of orange and black tap water flowing from their faucets, breathing in coal dust floating in the air outside their homes and higher-than-normal cancer rates.
“Americans want to see an end to the destruction of our oldest and most biologically diverse mountains, and the administration has taken limited steps towards restricting the impacts of mountaintop removal,” says J.W. Randolph, Legislative Associate for Appalachian Voices, “Congress needs to listen to the will of the people and pass legislation that would help to end mountaintop removal, and block any legislative attempt to enshrine the practice.”
A number of scientific studies show the relationship between mountaintop removal coal mining and human health. The most recent study by the Harvard Center for Health and Global Environment indicates that Appalachian coal-mining communities shoulder a high cost of roughly $74.6 billion a year in increased health-care costs, injury and death due to mountaintop removal.
“What most people don’t understand about mountaintop removal mining is that it isn’t just an environmental issue,” explains Vickie Terry, a member of Tennessee’s Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment. “This is about our homes and my family’s heritage here. They are literally blowing up my and my granddaughter’s history.”
The event, now in its sixth year, is sponsored by the Alliance for Appalachia, a coalition of over a dozen community, state-wide and regional organizations who run iLoveMountains.org, a website that uses cutting edge technology to inform and involve citizens from all over the country in their efforts to save mountains and communities.
The Alliance for Appalachia is also working to fight recent Congressional attacks on the Clean Water Act and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In the past two years, the EPA has issued water quality standards on mountaintop removal and has put into place an “enhanced coordination process” to review mountaintop removal mining permits with other federal agencies. Advocates, while supportive of these actions, are calling on the Obama Administration to take stronger action.
“If this administration is serious about moving America toward a clean energy future, banning mountaintop removal and valley fills in Appalachia must be the first step,” says Jane Branham of the Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards. “For our economy, for our health, and for our heritage—we need this administration and this Congress to act.”
Appalachian coal-mining regions have traditionally had high rates of unemployment, even prior to the current economic downturn, and the central Appalachian region contends with some of the highest poverty rates in the country. Critics say that due to the mechanized nature of mountaintop removal which replaces men with explosives and large equipment, the practice not only destroys mountains but also eliminates jobs and economic opportunities. In the last 50 years, while coal production increased the numbers of miners decreased by 90%.
Other highlights of the group’s annual Week in Washington include a a tribute for Judy Bonds, one of the movement’s leaders who recently passed away; a national call-in day to Congress for supporters unable to travel to Washington; and a Congressional reception to celebrate members of Congress and others supportive of the Alliance’s efforts.
Members of the Alliance for Appalachia include: The Appalachian Citizens Law Center, Appalachian Voices, Appalshop, Coal River Mountain Watch, Heartwood, Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, Mountain Association for Community Economic Development, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards, SouthWings, SOCM (Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment), and West Virginia Highlands Conservancy.
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Photo and Video Opportunities and Hi-Res Photos available.
Interviews available upon request
Last week more than 150 people from 23 states and directly impacted communities in Appalachia converged in Washington DC to give Congress a piece of our mind. 100s more joined us virtually by calling their Congressmen and Senators and asking them to cosponsor the Clean Water Protection Act (now HR 1375) and Appalachia Restoration Act. In addition, citizens met with every federal agency which regulates mountaintop removal, and scored a BIG WIN in keeping mountaintop removal riders out of the federal budget.
