So we’re in the midst of a campaign to save Coal River Mountain and end mountaintop removal.
About two weeks ago, on a Nation Day of Action to End Mountaintop Removal, dozens of actions happened around the country targeting the EPA, coal financier JP Morgan Chase and other political,utility and regulatory pillars of mountaintop removal.
Last week (and continuing into this week), over 63,000 people have taken online action calling the signatories of last June’s Memo of Understanding on the regulation of mountaintop removal to stop the blasting at Coal River Mountain.
NOW while we have been advocating, protesting, sitting-in, calling and emailing to stop the blasting on Coal River Mountain, it turns out the WV Dept. of Environmental Protection actually took some steps and did their job. Last week, they cited Massey Energy for using TOO large a load of explosives on Coal River Mountain.
Ken Ward reports: “But last week, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection quietly cited Massey subsidiary Marfork Coal Co. for using too large a load of explosives in its blasting operations at Bee Tree.”
Ummm Bee Tree is the site next to the Brushy Fork impoundment, is it not? And that impoundment holds back billions of gallons of coal sludge. If the dam were to burst, it would flood the Coal River Valley and estimated deaths are as high as 1000 (Massey’s own numbers). Now we find out that Massey is using too large of explosive loads. It’s criminal and immoral what’s going on there (and throughout the rest of Appalachia).
If nothing, this is a sign we need more action on this issue.