Citizens Meet with the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality to Ask for an End to Mountaintop Removal
Apr 3rd, 2009 by admin
April 3rd, 2009, Washington, D.C. – Five residents from West Virginia met Thursday, April 2, with The White House Council on Environmental Quality to discuss the devastating effects of mountaintop removal coal mining on the health and economic stability of Appalachian communities.
Danny Chiotos, a resident of Charleston and president of the West Virginia Environmental Council, Bo Webb, retired Veteran and resident of Raleigh County, Annette Welch and Bob Kincaid of Fayette County, and Nick Regalado of Raleigh County were in attendance.
Amelia Salzman, Director for Policy Outreach, learned more about the dangerous situation that has been created from the Bush Administration’s lax regulations regarding mountaintop removal coal mining. Bush Administration rule changes included the 2002 “fill rule” change, which allows toxic waste from mountaintop removal mines to be dumped directly into streams, as well as the 11th hour “stream buffer zone rule,” undone by the Bush Administration on their way out the door. These rule changes were unleashed with complete disregard for community health and well being across Appalachia, where mining explosives are detonated within 200 feet of homes, schools and businesses, causing choking plumes of dust loaded with silica, diesel fuel, and other heavy metals. Other issues with mountaintop removal include increases in flooding, decrease in water quality, and loss of land and local heritage.
“The situation has never been more urgent”, said Bob Kincaid of Coal River Mountain Watch, “and we need swift action from the Executive Branch.” He went on the explain how even an attempt at intervention from the National Parks Service earlier this year may not stop mining on Gauley mountain, near the New River Gorge, damaging an internationally known haven for climbing and white water rafting near his home in Fayette County, WV.
“Leading politicians and scientists, including Rep. Nick Rahall, have said that West Virginia may only have 20 years of productive coal mining left,” said Danny Chiotos. “Phasing out mountaintop removal is an opportunity to create new jobs with underground mining and to create green jobs with renewable energy and energy efficiency. West Virginia needs to diversify our economy if we are going to transition into the 21st Century.” This was the second meeting coalfield residents impacted by mountaintop removal have had with the CEQ since March. The CEQ’s verbal agreement to meet with community members in order to “see the whole picture” when they visit Appalachia soon is a clear sign that the grassroots movement to end human rights injustices caused by mountaintop removal is gaining national momentum.
“It is clear that American people and Appalachian voters who want to see an end to mountaintop removal finally have an administration that agrees with them”, said JW Randolph, Legislative Associate with Appalachian Voices, who also attended the meeting. “The White House is hearing our voices asking them to restore the fill rule. They said to keep asking, to keep sharing information, including opportunities to reinvest in these communities as we phase out mountaintop removal coal mining.”
The Alliance for Appalachia, a coalition of groups working to end mountaintop removal coal mining, has offered to organize a flyover and tour of impacted communities for Ms. Salzman and her associates as soon as possible, and citizens are sharing their plans for a green economic transition in the coalfields, including job replacement and training, in the coming weeks.
