Cabell Co. Democratic Delegates Pass Resolution Opposing Mountaintop Removal, Supporting Underground Mining

Our thanks goes out to OVEC member Robin Blakeman, who initiated a resolution opposing mountaintop removal/valley fill mining that was passed by the Cabell County Democratic convention at their April 12 meeting (Huntington is in Cabell County).

Former Huntington mayor Bobby Nelson and former House of Delegates member Susan Hubbard worked together with Robin to author the Cabell County resolution.

The Young Democrats Caucus brought a similar resolution to the WV Democratic party meeting on June 13 and 14. Danny Chiotos was a driving force behind the Young Democrats resolution. Neither resolution passed the entire Democratic party vote in June, but a vigorous discussion was held there that demonstrated the growing opposition to mountaintop removal in West Virginia. The Cabell County resolution says, in part:

Whereas we, Cabell County & West Virginia Democratic party convention delegates, are highly concerned about the health and well-being of our state and regional natural environment, and about the overall health and well-being of our residents;

Whereas we respect the role of coal mining in WVs economic and socio-political history, and we continue to support responsible, regulated underground mining preferably employing UMWA miners - we now stand with the majority of West Virginia citizens, the West Virginia Council of Churches, and a variety of environmental, historical and civic groups who oppose further use of the process called "Mountain Top Removal (MTR) Coal Mining";

Whereas Mountain Top Removal Coal Mining has led to significant negative impact on more than 1,200 miles of Central Appalachian streams, with 750 miles of those streams now permanently buried under huge valley fills necessitated by MTR mining;

Whereas more than 300,000 acres of hardwood forest has been destroyed by Mountain Top Removal mining, and whereas the health of citizens in MTR mined areas has been significantly impacted through polluted water, flooding, and air pollution caused by these mining operations;

Whereas we would like to see increased economic diversification and the development of renewable/ "green" energy resources (including wind-, solar- and water-based resources), instead of the mono-economic focus on coal-fueled power sources.

Be it resolved that Cabell County convention delegates call for the following:

• Re-apportionment or increase of the coal severance tax in order to provide additional investment for renewable/green energy resource development, and repair to the infrastructure (water, soil and forest ecology, schools, etc.) already damaged by MTR operations, and for re-training of currently employed MTR operation workers who are residents of this state.

• Further study of the long term environmental, physiological and sociological effects of MTR coal mining, sludge impoundments and coal processing plants on the health of adjacent communities, and on the watershed of the Kanawha and Ohio river systems.

• An immediate end to new permits for Valley Fills and/or Mountain Top Removal Mining Operations in this state.

• Full enforcement of all existing state and federal level environmental legislation.