Harnessing Coal River Wind in Appalachia

// video added December 09, 2009 // 10 comments //
Incredulous

more from Green:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIwO9Z3IlRo&fmt=22

Today, the confluence between mountaintop removal coal mining and climate change is front and center on the streets of Charleston, West Virginia and on stage at the "COP15" United Nations Climate Summit in Copenhagen.

In Charleston, activists from around the region are gathering in front of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection headquarters to demand an end to blasting at Coal River Mountain -- ground zero in the fight against mountaintop removal coal mining.

And in Copenhagen, Google is unveiling a new layer in Google Earth that dramatically illustrates the choice to be made at Coal River Mountain -- a choice between a clean energy future and the increased threat of climate change.

As Lorelei Scarbro, who lives in Rock Creek, West Virginia, at the foot of Coal River Mountain, says in the video, Coal River Mountain represents a crossroads in our future.

Massey Energy plans to mine more than 6000 acres of mountaintop at Coal River Mountain, which would destroy the opportunity to build a 320 megawatt wind farm on the ridges of Coal River Mountain.

Instead of 320 megawatts of clean energy that would power more than 70,000 homes indefinitely, Massey's plans would release 134 million tons of C02 -- the equivalent of putting 1.5 million more cars on the road for 17 years.

That's what makes Coal River Mountain a "cauldron of Climate Change," in Lorelei's words. That's why Google is showing millions of Google Earth users and the delegates in Copenhagen what's at stake at Coal River Mountain, and why people from around the region are gathering today in Charleston.

Can you stand with the activists in Charleston and the delegates in Copenhagen today by taking two simple actions?

1. Watch the Coal River Mountain Video and forward it to your friends and family. Ask them to join you in stopping mountaintop removal coal mining by signing up at iLoveMountains.org.

2. Email your Senators and tell them to pass the Appalachian Restoration Act. If Congress is serious about addressing climate change, we need this bill to dramatically reduce mountaintop removal coal mining, which is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

Thank you for taking a moment today to help secure a clean energy future for all of us.

Matt Wasson
iLoveMountains.org
  1. groups:
    Green,   Current Tonight,   Max and Jason: Still Up
  2. tags:
    Environment,  Appalachia,  Wind Farm,  Coal Mining

10 comments // Harnessing Coal River Wind in Appalachia // Video

  • jubal
    • 0
      jubal  

    • Mountain top removal for coal is such a waste when power can be generated indefinitely to power homes. To me its a no brainer, but to the capitalist stake holders in the mines, it means lost revenue. There will undoubtedly be a lot of resistance. But from the sound of things the locals are up to the fight and we should all join in sending a message to the congressional leaders there, even if we live on the West Coast. The degradation to the environment form mountain top removal and burning the coal affects all of us.

      Who would own the windfarm?

    • 3 months ago
  • JanforGore
  • tommytoyz
    • 0
      tommytoyz  

    • Way to go. I think you can prevail. The mining companies would also surely need permits given out per established rules. If the miners ever get these permits, the legality of these can be challenged in court.

      Most times, the authorities don't follow the procedures they are supposed to follow and consider everything they are supposed to consider.

      If all the costs that mountain top mining causes were included in the total costs, they should never get a permit. It's nothing but creative accounting were certain cost items are ignored.

    • 3 months ago
  • Kathryn_White
  • nursediesel
    • 0
      nursediesel  

    • Great idea! I especially like it combined with her neighbors idea of obtaining the coal in mine operations if it is doable.
      If I had a way to have a wind collector on my house today it would be clocking up some hours!

    • 3 months ago
  • Wetdog
  • regjoeschmo
  • Incredulous
  • Progresshiv
  • Incredulous
    • 0
      Incredulous  

    • The Appalachian mountains are one of the oldest and most diverse areas in the world. For too long coal companies have ravaged both the people and resources of this area. Congress has failed to protect either these people or their environment, and if the people of this community loose this battle, we will all have lost. It is time to vote out representatives who continue to only represent the interests of large corporations and fossil fuels. Please make sure your representatives hear from you on this issue.

    • 3 months ago
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