Help Counter King Coal’s Massive PR Campaign; Write Letters To the Editor!

You’ve probably seen Walker Machinery and other FOC (Friends of Coal) TV ads about how wonderful "mountaintop mining" is. While FOM (Friends of the Mountains) hasn’t the mega-bucks needed to counter these extremely one-sided ads with TV ads of our own, we do have the power of truth and numbers!

The letter to the editor section of newspapers is one of the most heavily read, so make you voice heard! No matter where you live, we are asking that you regularly write to your local newspaper, as well as other papers across the state and nation.

	Is this really the legacy we want our children and their children to have of West Virginia? Denuded, otherworldly-smooth “mountains;” non-native trees, when they can get trees to grow at all; and beach grass?

Try to keep your letters short, about 200 words. Be sure to include your name, town and phone number (it won’t be published; it’s only used to verify with you that the letter is yours). You can get contact information for almost any paper in the nation at www.newslink.org/.

Here and throughout the newsletter are some recent letters to the editors. We hope these inspire you. You can also check the news section on www.ohvec.org, updated daily, for some interesting articles that just might cause you to take pen in hand.

For the Sake of the Mountains – Write!

Beckley Register-Herald, Jan. 7, 2005
Plenty to Blame for Travesty of Mining

More are to blame for the travesty of mountaintop removal than Don Blankenship, scourge of God, and Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association.

Our good Sen. Rockefeller did his part. Jay’s first appearance in West Virginia was a poverty warrior in the Action for Appalachian Youth program, a part of President Johnson’s War on Poverty. In his first gubernatorial contest, Rockefeller ran in opposition to strip mining and was defeated. When he tried again, he was a dedicated strip miner. Rockefeller seemed to have applied a Groucho Marx maxim: "These are my principles, and if you don’t like them, I’ve got others."

On March 2, 1977, Gov. Rockefeller testified before the Subcommittee on Energy and Natural Resources: "Such methodologies as ‘controlled placement’ and ‘mountaintop removal’ should certainly be encouraged if not specifically dictated."

Land companies are certainly to blame. They don’t have to lease lands to coal companies, especially after knowing of the impending destruction, but they do it. I suppose that they would do business with the devil himself if he had a dollar bill in his band.

Others share the blame: Govs. Caperton, Underwood and Wise; the West Virginia Legislature(s); the rubber-stamping DEP; the West Virginia Surface Mine Board; U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd and Rep. Nick Rahall; the Army Corps of Engineers ...

The list of conspirators is endless, but one thing is certain - coalfield residents are suffering.

Richard A. Bradford
Edwight

	Giant bulldozers and dump trucks are dwarfed by the scale of destruction that is mountaintop removal mining in Mingo County, WV.

Washington Post, Sept. 18, 2004
Razing Appalachia

Thomas H. DeSabla ["Appreciating West Virginia as It Is," letters, Sept. 1] said that "not much grows" in West Virginia’s "rocky soil."

Wrong.

West Virginia is home to the mixed mesophytic forest, the most biologically diverse temperate hardwood forest on Earth. Federal studies say it will take centuries for the forest to recover from mountaintop-removal coal mining, which is gobbling up huge swaths of southern West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and parts of Tennessee and Virginia.

West Virginia is blessed with abundant fresh water, which, in the long run, will prove to be a far more important resource for our state – and for the nation – than coal. We have the highest regional concentration of aquatic biodiversity in the country. Coal companies have destroyed groundwater and buried or otherwise trashed more than 1,000 miles of Appalachia’s streams under millions of tons of former mountaintops. These streams were crucial to the healthy functioning of downstream ecosystems.

Mountaintop removal probably accounts for only about 5 percent of the coal mined in the country. We could cut energy consumption by 20 percent using available conservation and energy-efficiency techniques. Studies show that alternative energy development also will create jobs. Mountaintop removal unravels the ecological balance of our region, and it must end – not only for preserving the state’s incredible beauty but because humans depend on healthy ecosystems too.

Vivian Stockman
Huntington, W.Va.

	The blasting rig in the center of this photo could just as easily be a tombstone or monument for the destruction it is helping to cause in Logan County, WV.

Charleston Gazette, Nov. 11, 2004
Big Business Bought Votes

I never thought the day would come that I would be ashamed to say I am a West Virginian. I cannot believe that the people of West Virginia have allowed big business to buy their votes. Justice Warren McGraw has dedicated his life to serving the people of West Virginia, and this is the thanks he gets. Mark my word, West Virginia won’t be the Mountain State much longer, because the rolling hills will be replaced with whatever A.T. Massey wants to put there. You have sold your souls to the devil and I hope you can live with this decision.

Margaret Chico-Eddy
Durham, N.C.

Charleston Gazette, Nov. 30, 2004
Stand Up Against Don Blankenship

One would think that after a hundred years of oppression by greedy coal barons, the people of the West Virginia coalfields would stand up and say, Enough!

But instead, they have developed a very bad habit. That habit is a lack of care, apathy. Don Blankenship is leading a company that is totally destroying the Coal River Valley. It is hard for me to understand how anyone can sit by and watch their community be taken over by nothing less than pure evil.

These same people go to church and profess to be Christian. It is not for me to judge, but I would like to ask every person on Coal River to point to me the mountain that Jesus would blow up. Which community would he terrorize? Which school would he poison?

Why won’t you stand up for God against this evil threat? Is it because you think Don Blankenship is your salvation? Is it because he threw money at your church? God is not allowed in our schools. Why do you allow Blankenship in our schools? Why do preachers not shake loose from the devil and unite people to fight for God instead of worshipping Massey?

Bo Webb
Naoma

Charleston Daily Mail, Nov. 23, 2004
Coal Mining Process Will Ruin State’s Water

The Daily Mail editorial about the study of a professor from Massachusetts said some "fringe groups keep trying to kill coal." Who are editors referring to?

Groups here in West Virginia are trying to make the coal industry mine coal responsibly. There is a right way and a wrong way.

To imply that we are trying to kill coal may be considered damaging and is an insult to people living in the coalfields who are fighting for their lives and property.

History has shown us that the coal industry has and will abuse the citizens and the state if allowed to do so.

It is a huge mistake to loosen regulations for the coal and chemical industry so the CEO can make outrageous and sinful profits, while these companies poison our state’s water supply.

A lobbyist for the chemical industry recently tried to get lawmakers to lower water quality standards for our great streams and rivers. Coal lobbyists try this every year.

I found the study shortsighted. The waters of West Virginia will be in high demand. Water is essential to life and is becoming more precious than gold.

Mountaintop removal is destroying the future of the hardwood timber industry in southern West Virginia – timber and jobs lost for the next 200 years. The northern scenic parts of the state had better watch out.

Julia Bonds
Rock Creek

Charleston Gazette, Dec. 2, 2004
Blankenship’s Evil Rooted in Money

In reference to Sunday’s story about Don Blankenship; as a coalfield resident, I know where the root of this evil begins. His money is the dirtiest money in the world. It comes from the destruction of our communities, homes and lives.

He likes to make folks think that he supports our communities. Does he really think that his infomercials are fooling folks?

The lives of our children are taken into his hands every day, and he carelessly endangers them with looming toxic sludge lakes above their schools. The one behind Marsh Fork Elementary contains billions of gallons of black muck.

How is this any better than allowing a child molester loose in our schools?

Maria Gunnoe
Bobwhite

Coal Valley News
Where is Economic Development?

Editor:

I am so happy that Mr. Lodato is a "proud member" of Friends of Coal. But, I’d like to present a few things.

We have had the fact that the coal industry is a "vital part" of the growth of our state shoved at us for many years. In fact that has been the case ever since coal was discovered in West Virginia.

If you will take a look at the counties where coal is NOT produced and all the growth and wealth seem to be there, not in the southern counties where coal is such a "vital industry."

Where is the economic growth in Boone County?

Where are even fewer businesses here now than there were 25 years ago. Economic growth deals with the material wealth of mankind. It means an economy that hasn’t been stagnating for 25 years, but one that is successful and thriving.

The economic growth you refer to certainly hasn’t found its way to Boone County.

The economic growth is in the pockets of the coal industry itself - not in the pockets of the citizens of Boone County.

Like all the coal company commercials being run on TV, the Friends of Coal is another piece of coal company propaganda being used to shore up peoples’ belief that the coal companies are our friends so that we will smile at them while they blow up our mountains, build dangerous impoundments, poison our water and cause major flooding where there didn’t used to be flooding.

Instead of touting the "Friends of Coal" club why not find some economic growth for Boone County that isn’t related to the coal industry, something that doesn’t destroy the environment and won’t be depleted within the next 20 years.

Sue Sharps
Peytona, WV

	Native trees frame the ongoing destruction around Kayford Mountain, WV.

Charleston Gazette, Dec. 5, 2004
Massey CEO Doesn’t Care

It’s time for West Virginia to wake up and see that Don Blankenship wants to abolish environmental laws, de-unionize miners, and depopulate the coalfields. He made $17.6 million from October to November while the company lost $60.4 million from January 2002 to September 2004. He gave $3.5 million to buy Massey a judge and called it "For the sake of the kids."

Meanwhile, in the coalfields he is being sued for causing flooding, destroying water wells, polluting streams and putting kids’ lives in danger with speeding, overweight coal trucks. Does this really sound like he cares about kids? He talks about the shortage of labor in central Appalachia all the while putting hundreds of experienced union miners out of work.

So here it is almost Christmas and he is trying to make himself look good again. Wouldn’t it be better for the families to have jobs and food all year long, instead of the Massey Christmas Extravaganza just so Donnie can play Santa? That could happen if Massey wasn’t a monopoly in Southern West Virginia. HO! HO! HO!

Patty Sebok
Seth

Huntington Herald-Dispatch, Dec. 9, 2004
Supreme Court Sides with Industry

Supreme Court Justice Spike Maynard recently stated the Court’s guidance in the case of flood victims versus coal and timber operators. I’ve interpreted his remarks as I understand them.

- Maynard: "This court simply does not believe that the day-to-day activities of defendants necessarily create a high risk of flash flooding."

- Interpretation: "My friend Don Blankenship, who stands to lose a lot of money in this case, told me that Massey Energy doesn’t cause floods."

- Maynard: "Also, we are convinced that any increased risk of flooding which results from defendant’s extractive activities can be greatly reduced by the exercise of due care."

- Interpretation: "If you’re worried about your home being flooded by mountain range removal activity, you should move, preferably out of the coalfields."

- Maynard: "Finally, we are unable to conclude that the great economic value of some of these extractive activities, such as coal mining, is outweighed by their dangerous attributes."

- Interpretation: "Coal profits are more important than lives."

In West Virginia, justice is blind to reality, deaf to the pleas of victims, and dumb as a box of rocks. We need clean elections. We need real justice and courageous justices who will live up to the title.

Charleston Daily Mail, Dec. 9, 2004
West Virginians Do Not Realize the Huge Price They Pay for Coal

When will West Virginians begin to realize what they really pay for coal? Probably not until every mountaintop of coal has been removed and much of the state looks exactly like photos of the moon (as is already the case in Southern West Virginia). Probably not until a whole culture has been removed and we talk about it affectionately as we do the lost American Indian culture.

Probably not until state government comes clean and tells us exactly how much we have paid in taxes to restore bridges, roads and flooded areas that were damaged by overloaded coal trucks and mountaintop removal mining.

Probably not until we realize how much bribe money is paid by coal companies to keep legislators, judges and preachers in line.

Probably not until much of our clean water sources are depleted and we pay as much for drinking water as for an ingot of gold.

The huge billboards declare that "Coal keeps the lights on." One could easily add, "Yes, but at what cost?"

Kathryn A. Stone
Charleston

Charleston Gazette, Dec. 20, 2004
Lowland Stream Areas in Danger

I’m so concerned about why our officials and government are allowing permits to be issued to big coal corporations and not making them take responsibility for our waterways. You cannot remove mountaintops without taking responsibility for the lowland streams.

It is too dangerous for the coal companies to build slush ponds in the valleys and take off mountaintops without a plan on how to control the waterways.

I feel for people that live in West Virginia and Logan County.

People who live in the lowland areas are not stupid. We can see in the future what is going to happen to the people that live in the lowland stream areas.

Remember what happened in the Buffalo Creek flood?

Our government is 15 years behind. It is time for our government to stand up for the people and take notice or I’m afraid that there are going to be hundreds and hundreds of lives lost and millions and millions of dollars in property damage.

Denver Mitchell
Wilkinson

Charleston Gazette, Dec. 23
We Must Turn Away from Fossil Fuels

We the people of the United States are making a grave mistake in how our public financial resources are being allocated. Instead of pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into the war in Iraq, we need to spend this money toward switching our energy-generation away from burning fossil fuels to solar energy, fuel cells and other nonpolluting sources.

Our ice caps are melting, deserts are expanding and glaciers are retreating at an alarming rate. These are documented facts from satellite images.

The worst consequences caused by climatic change, resulting from human influences might not be inevitable. There are things we can do to lessen the rate of climate change and spare our grandkids from an inhospitable world we now may be creating if we hurry.

Because the infrastructure supporting nonpolluting energy might not be built for 20 or 30 years, the best we can do now is limit our use of greenhouse-gas emitting fossil fuels.

We can do this by buying hybrid and other fuel-efficient cars and buying more modest energy-efficient homes. We can also educate ourselves about climate change, contact our environmental groups focused on this issue.

Melvin Tyree
Hurricane

Charleston Daily Mail, Dec. 7, 2004
Professors at MIT Do Not Know W.Va.

So many people have written to complain about your editorial of Nov. 15, "West Virginia is an energy state," citing the advice that MIT’s Richard Lester was kind enough to come and dispense. I believe these people may be missing the point Lester was trying to make.

You see, MIT is in eastern Massachusetts, and while that area has a healthy, diverse economy – well, we can’t aspire to any such thing here in Appalachia, because it simply isn’t our place. Our place, historically, has been to supply cheap power for the rest of the nation to industrialize upon. If we were to forsake that role now, it would be quite inconvenient to people like Lester.

Lately there has been an ugly proposal, for example, to build a whole phalanx of windmills out in Cape Cod bay. According to the Army Corps of Engineers, this will not harm wildlife or add to pollution or global warming – but just think what it will do to the view. A very expensive view, I might add.

People who buy vacation homes on this exclusive shoreline should not have their view sullied by windmills. The windmills will also interfere with the freedom of yacht travel in the bay. Unacceptable. The least we can do for them is rip up our mountains so they won’t have to suffer such a thing.

It’s true that the sulfur dioxide, mercury, carbon dioxide and ozone will flow downwind towards Massachusetts – but most of it will settle on less expensive real estate, on less important people, before it gets that far.

It’s also true that the carbon dioxide will eventually cause a sufficient rise in sea level that those homes will be flooded out – but that’s also a problem for unimportant people, people who haven’t even been born yet.

Mary Wildfire
Morgantown

Charleston Daily Mail, Dec. 15, 2004
Massey Gifts Are Cheap Tokens

Massey Energy’s Don Blankenship is hosting another propaganda event in his ongoing effort to destroy the culture, people and environment of Appalachia. This time he’s having a Christmas party, complete with Santa and elves, to distribute toys. I have a few suggestions for more meaningful gifts than the cheap tokens of false charity that will be passed out.

Instead of toys and candy, give back the mountains you’ve taken, blasted and desolated. Give back the trees you’ve clearcut, buried and burned. Give back the babbling streams and rivers that you’ve polluted, flooded or buried. Give back the peace and quiet that you’ve destroyed with 3 million pounds of explosives per day. Give back the fresh air that you’ve filled with coal dust and toxins. Give back the hollows that you’ve filled with rock, kiln dust and billions of gallons of toxic sludge. Give back the lives, land and homes that you’ve destroyed with floods.

If you can’t give back all these things that you’ve taken from the children in your terrorist campaign of mountain range removal, your little party is merely exploiting the kids for your selfish public image. Your hellish Mount Doom logo on the invitations speaks volumes.

Vernon Haltom
Beaver