Massey Energy Begins Blasting Coal River Mountain

[glitch]

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/10/27/headlines#2

Massey Energy Begins Blasting Coal River Mountain

In West Virginia, Massey Energy has begun blasting operations on Coal River Mountain despite deep opposition from environmental groups and critics of mountaintop removal mining. Coal River Mountain is the last intact mountain on the historic Coal River Mountain range. All of the other mountains have been blown up by coal companies.

Jeff Biggers, author of the book The United States of Appalachia: “Residents in the Coal River Valley in West Virginia were shocked last Friday to hear the rattle of explosives and see plumes of smoke rise above Coal River Mountain. According to news reports on Monday, Massey Energy has clearcut the lush forest and blasted part of the historic ridge in the first leg of a 6,000-acre mountaintop removal mine. For advocates across Appalachia and citizens group across the nation, the impending mountaintop removal operation on Coal River Mountain amounts to a final showdown between out-of-state coal companies and the state of coalfield residents.”

Activists had proposed to save the mountaintop and turn it into a wind farm, a proposal which was seen by many as a model for sustainable green economic development. Anti-mountaintop removal activists are now calling on President Obama to halt the mining operation and save Coal River Mountain.

[AtheistCrusader]

1. How does one even BUY a mountain?

I've looked at platt maps for nearby mountains, and they are usually a crazy mix of National Forest, Department of Natural Resources, US Department of the Interior, and other landowners.

I wonder what the pile of money looks like, to flat out buy, with the purpose of destroying, a mountain.

[glitch]

7. Not necessary to buy the mountain, just the appropriate politicians.

We the people end up owning the rubble, often enough.

[Lorien]

2. I never could fathom why this kind of ungodly destruction is even legal

DESTROYING a mountain for a few years worth of coal? Is nothing on this earth sacred? Seriously? West Virginia is turning into hell on earth for the benefit of the rich elite. Why doesn't our administration put an end to this? Where are all those "green jobs" we were promised?

[rhett o rick]

3. Cant Eminent Domain be used to stop this destruction? nt

[ThomCat]

4. I am sure it could be, if the government gave a damn

and was willing to side with the locals for a change instead of with the big corporation.

[rhett o rick]

5. Cant the locals sue for eminent domain? nt

[ThomCat]

6. Not that I've ever heard of.

That's a government decision.

[rhett o rick]

8. Yes, but I think it can be a local government. I once heard that a local group

blocked a new Wal-Mart in Calif using eminent domain. No link

[The2ndWheel]

9. "was seen by many as a model for sustainable green economic development"

So, the foundation of mass economic exploitation for the benefit of a single species still exists. It's not about the mountaintop. It's about turning the mountaintop into something useful.