The Coal Sludge Is About to Hit the Fan
We have heard from coalfield residents that Massey Energy has
resumed operations on Coal River Mountain in West Virginia, and
that blasting is imminent. The blasting will take place only a
few hundred feet away from the Brushy Fork impoundment dam,
which holds over 9 billion gallons of toxic coal sludge above
Marsh Fork Elementary school Pettus, WV directly across the street from state police offices which house a Head Start facility. If the dam bursts, it is estimated that almost 1000 people who live, work and go to school in the Coal River Valley would lose their lives.
We need you to take a stand with the residents of the Coal River
Valley. Please call Governor Manchin’s office and ask him to
repeal the permits on Coal River Mountain.
On Monday, seven youth, ages 18-22, were arrested in West
Virginia Governor Joe Manchin’s offices after demanding that he
take action to save Coal River Mountain. The youth, affiliated
with anti-mountaintop removal groups Mountain Justice and
Climate Ground Zero, were supporting Coal River Valley residents
who also delivered a letter to Governor Manchin requesting that
he repeal the permits issued to Massey Energy for mining on Coal
River Mountain.
Studies have shown that, if left intact, the ridges on Coal
River Mountain have the highest and most productive potential
for wind power generation. Research by the Coal River Wind
Project has shown that a wind farm on top of the mountain could
generate approximately 1.2% of West Virginia’s total energy
needs and create at least 300 jobs in the area, while also
generating long-term tax revenues. Every day that blasting
occurs the clean energy potential of Coal River Mountain is
obliterated.
We need you to join us in standing with the residents of the
Coal River Valley, and to help ensure that our clean energy
future is not lost one mountain at a time.
Please call Governor Joe Manchin’s office and ask him to repeal the permits on Coal River Mountain.
5 Responses to “The Coal Sludge Is About to Hit the Fan”
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October 26th, 2009 at 7:05 am
[...] Join us this Thursday, October 29th to tell JP Morgan Chase to stop funding mountaintop removal coal mining! JP Morgan Chase is the biggest financier of the devastating practice of MTR – and even funds Massey Energy, the company that has started blasting Coal River Mountain in West Virgina this week. [...]
October 27th, 2009 at 6:18 am
Lets look at the full cost. The answer is blowing in the wind.
October 27th, 2009 at 7:27 am
Please stop blasting the mountains, especially Coal River Mountain in West Virgina.
October 27th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Blasting the mountains is only good for the companies that will profit but it destroys the environment and most important of all, it creates dangerous situations that threaten the lives of many people in the area.
Other communities have been victimized already.
October 27th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
I cannot believe what this companies are allowed to to do in the name of profit.
This is a crime to human kind , we all live on one planet . We cannot let it be destroyed . We don’t need expensive coals to fuel Chinas coal-furnaces or any others. Let’s opt for wind -power.