 Central Appalachia EJ Program |
Regional Projects: Central Appalachia
Mining activists in Appalachia are some of the most dedicated people in the world. They live in fear of blasting, flooding, overweight coal trucks, and slurry releases and still they keep hope. There is an old hymn that says, "Just like a tree that's planted by the waters, I shall not be moved." In Appalachia, they have destroyed the trees, polluted our water, cut off the tops of our mountains, and blasted the foundations of our homes, but we will not be moved. The goal of the Sierra Club's Central Appalachia Environmental Justice site is to support the work of these activists in their struggles against the irresponsible practices of the mining industry. Working on behalf of the Sierra Club are environmental justice organizers Bill Price and Bill McCabe. The Central Appalachian program began on January 9, 2003. The first year was focused on developing relationships with activist groups throughout the site that encompasses parts of five states – Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia – as well as all of West Virginia. Major Win Against Mountaintop Removal Mining in Kentucky The Sierra Club’s first Kentucky MTR challenge produced immediate results. Shortly after we filed suit, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers suspended the permit for ICG Hazard’s Thunder Ridge mine in order to reconsider its approval in light of the claims we raised. Sierra Club and co-plaintiff Kentucky Waterways Alliance identified several legal deficiencies with the permit, including the Corps’ failure to explain its conclusion that burying several miles of streams would not degrade the waterways because the company would create replacement streams (even though attempts to recreate headwater streams have never been successful). The Corps also failed to demonstrate that the mining would not have any adverse effect on the environment. This victory will help protect drinking water quality for Kentuckians around the state and it represents the first time that the Army Corps has suspended one of its coal mining permits in Kentucky. Learn more at the Environmental Law Program's website and the MTR homepage! Video footage from Pikeville, KY Rally against "Liquid Coal"
New Film Chronicles Faith Community's Fight against Mountaintop Removal Mining A new film by B.J. Gudmundsson and Patchwork Films, "Mountain Mourning," explores the devastating effects of Mountaintop Removal mining in Central Appalachia. With devastating footage of the battered landscapes, the film also highlights the connection of the Appalachian people to their land. This destructive method for extracting coal by clearning and blasting beautiful mountaintops to expose their minerals is a tragedy. The Sierra Club and other organizations are working to end this practice.
Up to Top HOME | Email Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Terms of Use | © 2008 Sierra Club |
