Press Release

May 14, 2004

MEDIA ADVISORY

CONTACT: 
Judy Bonds, Coal River Mountain Watch Organizer, 304-854-2182
Bill Price, Sierra Club Environmental Justice Organizer, 304-389-8822
Vivian Stockman, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition Organizer, 304-522-0246

*****Media Advisory for Tuesday, May 18, 2004*****

FRIENDS OF THE MOUNTAINS TO PROTEST MASSEY ENERGY'S DESTRUCTION IN APPALACHIA AT ANNUAL MEETING

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Armed with signs, chants, badges and handcuffs to "arrest" environmental offenders, activists will converge on Massey Energy's annual stockholders' meeting to draw attention to the company's egregious environmental and labor records. "Earthcop" will "jail" activists parodying Massey Energy executives and board of directors for practicing mountaintop removal mining, the most destructive method of coal mining.

For decades, Massey Energy has left Appalachian communities at risk from dangerous blasting, flooding and faulty slurry impoundments, all associated with mountaintop removal mining. Also, Massey Energy has a record of neglecting worker protections, including union busting and unsafe working conditions.

WHO: Friends of the Mountains, a coalition of environmental and community groups including Appalachian Voices, Coal River Mountain Watch, Citizens Coal Council, Delbarton Environmental Community Awareness Foundation, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Sierra Club-West Virginia Chapter, Stanley Heirs Foundation, West Virginia Citizen Action Group, West Virginia Environmental Council, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, and West Virginia Rivers Coalition

WHAT: Rally to Highlight Massey Energy's Environmental Destruction and Union Busting Practices

WHEN: Tuesday, May 18
9:30 a.m.

WHERE: Charleston Town Center Marriott
200 Lee Street E, Charleston

GREAT VISUALS: Street theater with mock arrests and costumes, marchers with signs

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