Appalachian Authors Tour Mountaintop Removal, Meet Affected Folks

The Oct. 16-17 writers tour organized by OVEC, with Friends of the Mountains, attracted 16 authors from Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. Day one of the tour included a trip to Kayford Mountain and overflights of the Marsh Fork Elementary School and surrounding coal calamities provided by SouthWings.

Later, a group of 15 coalfield residents met with the writers to speak about a wide range of problems caused by mountaintop removal, from loss of culture to severe health problems.

Witnessing the destruction and hearing from the affected residents profoundly affected the writers. Some where provoked to rage, some moved to tears, but all were shell-shocked.

On day two, the writers spent the morning crafting an open letter to West Virginia citizens and the Congress of the United States (see the sidebar). In the coming months, watch for the writers essays and op-eds in newspaper around the state and country.
 

Writers and others gather to talk about what they had just seen on Kayford Mountain and on overflights--utter destruction.

Dinner offered a time for interaction between affected residents and the writers.

A writer examines a sample of tap water from a Mingo County house.

The Nelsons speak with the writers, while the Sylvester Dustbusters--Mary Miller and Pauline Canterberry look on.

The Dustbusters, from Sylvester in Boone County, show air filters made black by coal dust after just a short time in use. Imagine the townspeople's lungs!

On day two, the writers craft their statement.

West Virginia Poet Laureate Irene McKinney reads the writers' statement (see sidebar) at a press conference on the afternoon of the second day of their tour.