Got a free flyover of the Coal River Valley.
This is the Bee Tree Site on Coal River Mountain.
And the Brushy Fork Impoundment.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Oberlin Strikes Again!
Hey ya'll. Just thought I'd post a link to an article a friend of ours at Oberlin wrote a while ago on Mountaintop Removal.
Ethan's Article
And mention that there have been an overwhelming amount of MTR articles on the NYT lately.
Ethan's Article
And mention that there have been an overwhelming amount of MTR articles on the NYT lately.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Activists Stop Strip Mining Machine on Coal River Mountain
“It was usually around July you could go up there and sit and it was like the annual bear gathering up there… The whole area was full of laurels. The bears had tunnels through them, it was so thick…What’s going on today you know with the Brushy Fork of course, that whole area has just about been stripped out now, and that’s all been taken away.” Ed Wiley on Coal River Mountain
MARFORK, W.Va. – Protestors associated with Climate Ground Zero and Mountain Justice have locked to and shut down a highwall miner on Coal River Mountain today. Colin Flood, 22, and Katie Huszcza, 21, are locked to the mining equipment on Massey Energy’s Bee Tree Surface Mine, near to the Brushy Fork Sludge Impoundment. Their banner states “Save Coal River Mountain” alongside images of ginseng, a morel, a deer and a black bear, the West Virginia state animal.
The human rights activists locked down in order to bring attention to the many local resources that will be lost if blasting on Coal River Mountain continues. This destruction led the four protesters, including 22-year-old Jimmy Tobias and 20-year-old Sophie Kern, both of whom acted as direct support, to take part in the action. “These mountains are home to some of the most biologically diverse temperate forests in the world and contain a variety of precious flora and fauna including edible and medicinal plants that can save lives, a wide array of extremely nutritious mushrooms, old growth forest and an abundance of deer and trout,” Huszcza said, “Coal River Mountain is priceless.”
Local resident Ed Wiley laments the loss of wildlife caused by the construction of the Brushy Fork Sludge Impoundment, built in what was once some of the densest, oldest forest on the mountain.
“You could look off through the woods there and see a big Mamma bear with three or four cubs,” he says “But now they go on in there and remove the timber, and then start removing the overburden, and Momma bears with their cubs don’t come out of their dens until about the end of May, so they’re getting buried alive.”
“When the timber is gone, when the topsoil is gone, when the air and water are destroyed, the less than 4 percent of our nation’s energy needs that mountaintop removal provides will be small consolation,” said Flood, one of the four protestors, “The coal companies and land companies are blasting this land, ruining its rivers and poisoning its people for the sake of flat screen TVs, pick-up trucks and profit margins.”
The activists are spotlighting dangers associated with the massive Brushy Fork Sludge Impoundment, which is permitted to contain 8.2 billion gallons of toxic coal waste and estimates put the current level at seven billion gallons. Brushy Fork’s foundation is built on a honeycomb of abandoned underground mines. If the foundation were to collapse, as in Martin Co., Ky., the slurry would engulf communities as far as 14 miles away, according to Marfork Coal Co.’s emergency warning plan regarding the impoundment.
“The Brushy Fork sludge dam places the downstream communities in imminent danger. The threat of being inundated by a wall of toxic sludge is always present. Blasting next to this dam increases this risk at the same that it destroys the opportunity for renewable wind energy,” said Vernon Haltom, co-director of Coal River Mountain Watch, in reference to the Coal River Wind Project.
“The protesters expect a long fight before blasting on Coal River Mountain stops and they remain committed to that fight,” said Tobias, one of the members of the support team. “This is a fight for the heart of Appalachia and the soul of America,” he said. “Land and freedom have always gone hand in hand. When you strip bare the land, you strip bare freedom. We won’t stop until the land is safe in the hands of those in the community who care for it.”
“It [the destruction of wilderness] makes mountaintop removal an act of treason,” Flood said.
Climate Ground Zero’s action campaign, begun in February of last year, has kept up a sustained series of direct actions since that time, continuing decades-long resistance to strip mining in Appalachia.
MARFORK, W.Va. – Protestors associated with Climate Ground Zero and Mountain Justice have locked to and shut down a highwall miner on Coal River Mountain today. Colin Flood, 22, and Katie Huszcza, 21, are locked to the mining equipment on Massey Energy’s Bee Tree Surface Mine, near to the Brushy Fork Sludge Impoundment. Their banner states “Save Coal River Mountain” alongside images of ginseng, a morel, a deer and a black bear, the West Virginia state animal.
The human rights activists locked down in order to bring attention to the many local resources that will be lost if blasting on Coal River Mountain continues. This destruction led the four protesters, including 22-year-old Jimmy Tobias and 20-year-old Sophie Kern, both of whom acted as direct support, to take part in the action. “These mountains are home to some of the most biologically diverse temperate forests in the world and contain a variety of precious flora and fauna including edible and medicinal plants that can save lives, a wide array of extremely nutritious mushrooms, old growth forest and an abundance of deer and trout,” Huszcza said, “Coal River Mountain is priceless.”
Local resident Ed Wiley laments the loss of wildlife caused by the construction of the Brushy Fork Sludge Impoundment, built in what was once some of the densest, oldest forest on the mountain.
“You could look off through the woods there and see a big Mamma bear with three or four cubs,” he says “But now they go on in there and remove the timber, and then start removing the overburden, and Momma bears with their cubs don’t come out of their dens until about the end of May, so they’re getting buried alive.”
“When the timber is gone, when the topsoil is gone, when the air and water are destroyed, the less than 4 percent of our nation’s energy needs that mountaintop removal provides will be small consolation,” said Flood, one of the four protestors, “The coal companies and land companies are blasting this land, ruining its rivers and poisoning its people for the sake of flat screen TVs, pick-up trucks and profit margins.”
The activists are spotlighting dangers associated with the massive Brushy Fork Sludge Impoundment, which is permitted to contain 8.2 billion gallons of toxic coal waste and estimates put the current level at seven billion gallons. Brushy Fork’s foundation is built on a honeycomb of abandoned underground mines. If the foundation were to collapse, as in Martin Co., Ky., the slurry would engulf communities as far as 14 miles away, according to Marfork Coal Co.’s emergency warning plan regarding the impoundment.
“The Brushy Fork sludge dam places the downstream communities in imminent danger. The threat of being inundated by a wall of toxic sludge is always present. Blasting next to this dam increases this risk at the same that it destroys the opportunity for renewable wind energy,” said Vernon Haltom, co-director of Coal River Mountain Watch, in reference to the Coal River Wind Project.
“The protesters expect a long fight before blasting on Coal River Mountain stops and they remain committed to that fight,” said Tobias, one of the members of the support team. “This is a fight for the heart of Appalachia and the soul of America,” he said. “Land and freedom have always gone hand in hand. When you strip bare the land, you strip bare freedom. We won’t stop until the land is safe in the hands of those in the community who care for it.”
“It [the destruction of wilderness] makes mountaintop removal an act of treason,” Flood said.
Climate Ground Zero’s action campaign, begun in February of last year, has kept up a sustained series of direct actions since that time, continuing decades-long resistance to strip mining in Appalachia.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Closure on the Clear Fork
Follow up info for the black water spill on the Clear Fork of the Coal River.
Pioneer Fuel was fined $1000.
A fine so low even I could have paid it.
Pioneer Fuel was fined $1000.
A fine so low even I could have paid it.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Spring is here, So am I.
I know it's been a minute, but I'm still here for any that follow my blog. Still living in Rock Creek and fightin' the fight.
The Community Greenhouse in Arnett (put together by members of SEEDS of Hope and Unity for Coal River) is up and close to functional. Will be posting photos soon!!
The Community Greenhouse in Arnett (put together by members of SEEDS of Hope and Unity for Coal River) is up and close to functional. Will be posting photos soon!!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Steepleton
The other day while on the porch, Raleigh county sheriff pulled up and began to read a list of names. Unfortunately Laura Steepleton was second on the list. Without a formal warrant or even a reason for arrest (a mumble about failure to appear) the sheriff carted Laura away. As it just happened to be just after 4, there was no magistrate on duty. From there, without arraignment, Laura was booked and jailed, and told that she would be held until her hearing on charges from the DEP lock-down for violating her bond agreement. Might I mention this action was in Kanawha.
All night and the next day we got the run around from cops, judges, secretaries, and jail personnel trying to clear up Laura's charges.
After getting Laura's original public defender on the case, we got the charges dropped and Laura released that evening.
She is now safely at home, no worse for wear, and claims to have recruited new folks while in jail.
All night and the next day we got the run around from cops, judges, secretaries, and jail personnel trying to clear up Laura's charges.
After getting Laura's original public defender on the case, we got the charges dropped and Laura released that evening.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Black Water Spill, Clear Fork River
Taking water samples from a massive blackwater spill in the Clear Fork of the Coal River today. Spilled from a surface mine up Horse Creek owned by Pioneer Fuels.
The last photo is of the affected river, running into an unaffected river. You can really see the contrast between the green water vs. the blackwater.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Please Donate
$9,625 total bail cost, please donate to legal fund
Saturday, January 30th, 2010
Amber Nitchman, Eric Blevins, David Aaron Smith, David Baghdadi, Benard Fiorillo, Josh Graupera and Isabelle Rozendaal stopped a blast site on Coal River Mountain for nine days, now their total bail amounts to $9,625.00. Nitchman and Blevins are still in jail, held for a combined cash-only total of $5,000.
Please donate to the Mountain Justice legal defense fund: Paypal, or another method.
Thank you everyone who has supported us for almost a year on the front lines. Friends have loaned thousands of dollars to get people out of jail, but those loans must be repaid soon. Some people are also not able to pay all the fines that judges gave them after arrest.
It’s equally important, in order to maintain a robust action agenda, to continually raise legal funds as we stick it to mountaintop removal and the largest coal mine operator in Appalachia: Massey Energy.
You can also support us in a more indirect fashion through the purchase of the critically acclaimed Still Moving Mountains CD, or the long-awaited photography exposé, Dragline.
Video courtesy of Jordan Freeman
http://climategroundzero.net/2010/01/treesitii-please-donate/
Saturday, January 30th, 2010
Amber Nitchman, Eric Blevins, David Aaron Smith, David Baghdadi, Benard Fiorillo, Josh Graupera and Isabelle Rozendaal stopped a blast site on Coal River Mountain for nine days, now their total bail amounts to $9,625.00. Nitchman and Blevins are still in jail, held for a combined cash-only total of $5,000.
Please donate to the Mountain Justice legal defense fund: Paypal, or another method.
Thank you everyone who has supported us for almost a year on the front lines. Friends have loaned thousands of dollars to get people out of jail, but those loans must be repaid soon. Some people are also not able to pay all the fines that judges gave them after arrest.
It’s equally important, in order to maintain a robust action agenda, to continually raise legal funds as we stick it to mountaintop removal and the largest coal mine operator in Appalachia: Massey Energy.
You can also support us in a more indirect fashion through the purchase of the critically acclaimed Still Moving Mountains CD, or the long-awaited photography exposé, Dragline.
Video courtesy of Jordan Freeman
http://climategroundzero.net/2010/01/treesitii-please-donate/
Friday, January 29, 2010
Sitters Finally Come Down
Amber and Eric descended from the Trees today.
Smiles and Cheering quickly ensued.
For some reason they seemed to think Amber needed more supervision than Eric.
Eric walked freely from the police vehicle to the station for booking.
Nine days of forceful non-violent resistance.
We won't stop until you do.
(these photos were later shown on the 6 oclock news. fuckin' sweet)
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