Dear stan,
The effort to end mountaintop removal coal mining has never been stronger, and the pushback from Big Coal has never been harder -- or more dangerous to coalfield residents who stand in their way.
Last week, at hearings held in Kentucky and West Virginia by the Army Corps of Engineers on its proposal to end the streamlined "Nationwide 21" mountaintop removal coal mining permits, clean energy proponents were verbally and physically threatened by a large pro-coal crowd -- and were removed before the hearing by police for "security reasons."
You can watch video of the hearings and incident here:
The lives of residents brave enough to speak in favor of stronger enforcement of mountaintop removal coal mining are increasingly being threatened by angry mobs ginned up by the coal companies --but Congress can solve the problem by clearly making mountaintop removal illegal once and for all.
That's why, today, we're asking you to send a new email to your Representatives in Congress and to key decision makers -- from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to EPA Chief Lisa Jackson. Last week, we reached a record 160 co-sponsors for the Clean Water Protection Act in the U.S. House of Representatives! House Speaker Pelosi and other decision makers need to hear from us: the time to pass the Clean Water Protection Act is right now.
Click here to send an email demanding the passage of the Clean Water Protection Act
And if you haven't done so already, please also take a moment to send the Army Corps of Engineers an email telling them you support their efforts to end the streamlined permitting process for Big Coal. Supporters of clean energy may not have gotten a chance to speak at the hearings last week, but Big Coal can't silence all of us.
Those who live in Appalachia and those who work in the mines all want to protect our land and people. However, propaganda and fear-mongering by coal executives are fueling the anger and tension felt by many coal supporters, and is a result of the momentum that has been building to end mountaintop removal.
Last week saw some great news for those of us who love mountains. On Friday, the EPA threatened to use its power under the Clean Water Act to veto the massive proposed Spruce No. 1 mountaintop removal coal mine in Logan Country, West Virginia. If the EPA follows through, this would mark only the 13th time the agency has used its veto power since 1972 -- and the first time it has used the power to block a coal-mining permit. Read more.
Also last week, the Raleigh County School Board in Coal River, West Virginia, announced its intention to ask the state for funds to construct a new school to replace the infamous Marsh Fork Elementary - which sits immediately below a 2.8 billion gallon coal sludge impoundment and a mountaintop removal mining site. Senator Robert Byrd and others from the West Virginia congressional delegation argued that Massey Energy (which owns the mine and impoundment) should pay for the new school. "These are children's lives we are talking about," Byrd said. Read more.
Children's lives are at stake, as are the mountains and communities of Appalachia. The time is now for leaders in Congress to send the Clean Water Protection Act to President Obama.
Click here to tell Congress to pass of the Clean Water Protection Act now.
Thank you for taking action.
Matt Wasson
iLoveMountains.org
P.S. Big coal will spend millions of dollars to distort the truth. Help us raise money to set the record straight anddonate to iLoveMountains today.
P.P.S.--Please help us spread the word on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.
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