A Rally Against Massey Energy

SUNDIAL, W. Va. -- Citizens of Coal River Valley, West Virginia, rallied on May 31 for the third time in a week to oppose Massey Energy’s operations adjacent to Marsh Fork Elementary School. This time over 100 Mountain Justice Summer participants joined the residents in demanding that Massey close the operation. Massey subsidiary Goals Coal Company operates a coal preparation plant, loading silo, and earthen sludge dam — a toxic waste storage facility holding 2.8 billion gallons of toxic sludge — beside the K-5^th grade school. Massey also operates a 1,849-acre mountaintop removal site around the sludge dam.

After an opening prayer, speakers described the operation’s threats to the children and read a list of demands for Massey. Inez Gallimore, a Coal River resident and an 80-year-old great-grandmother of a Marsh Fork Elementary student was arrested along with Debbie Jarrell, another concerned grandmother of a Marsh Fork Elementary student.

“The coal industry has used these children as sacrificial lambs far too long. It’s time for the adults to step up and take their place,” Jarrell said.  Fourteen individuals showed their solidarity with the grandmothers’ concern and were arrested as well.

On May 24, two residents were arrested at a rally at the same location. At the May 24 rally, state police arrested Julia Bonds and Bo Webb for trespassing when they refused to leave the entrance to the plant. Massey security refused admittance to Bonds and Webb, who had a list of demands for the plant supervisor. The group demanded that Massey close the preparation plant, withdraw the application for an additional coal loading silo next to the school, clean up the school or build a new one in the community, shut down its Mountaintop Removal sites and stop blasting their homes.

“The State Police were very professional, respectful, and courteous,” said Webb, also a Coal River Valley resident. “We’re sorry they have to be here. If Massey would do the right thing, and if the DEP would do its job, none of us would have to be here. But we have a duty to these kids. Since no government agency will stand up for these children, we have to.” Webb showed Mine Safety and Health Administration inspection reports of seepage over widespread areas on the dam.

At citizens’ request, the DEP held a public hearing Thursday, May 26, at the school in Sundial. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is considering Massey’s application to construct a second loading silo next to the first, which sits 150 feet from school grounds. The DEP is also considering renewing Massey’s permit to operate the waste facility, a 2.8-billion gallon earthen dam located 400 yards from school grounds. Coal River Mountain Watch had to resort to invoking the Freedom of Information Act to obtain the Mining Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reports on the dam. The MSHA violation reports show that there are wide spread leaks in the dam including the toe.

At the hearing, citizens, some of whom were elderly and in poor health, were given only two minutes each to voice their concerns over the silo and dam. To thunderous applause and cheers, over fifty local citizens and Mountain Justice Summer participants spoke out against the permits. No one spoke in favor of the permits. In 2004, the DEP approved the mountaintop removal permit in spite of citizen opposition.

“Now we’re concerned that Massey might try to discredit this movement,” said Bonds, a resident of the Coal River Valley. “The Mountain Justice Summer participants continually astound me with their leadership and adherence to nonviolence, but in the past coal companies have resorted to agent provocateurs to sabotage citizen uprisings.” According to the Mountain Justice Summer website at www.mountainjusticesummer.org, the campaign is committed to nonviolence and participants will not engage in property destruction.

“I’m stunned that hazardous activities such as this coal operation would be allowed anywhere near a school in the United States,” said Chris Irwin, a Mountain Justice Summer participant from Knoxville, TN. This would be appalling anywhere in the world, but here in Appalachia it’s encouraged.”

As the rally took place in Sundial, Mountain Justice Summer participants attempted to deliver the same list of demands to Don Blankenship, the chairman and CEO of Massey Energy at their headquarters in Richmond, Va.  As in Sundial, Massey refused to receive their demands to close the preparation plant, withdraw the application for an additional coal-loading silo, clean up the school or build another one in the community, shut down its Mountaintop Removal sites and stop blasting resident's homes.

Benji Burrell, a concerned Appalachian resident said, "Please, if you care about your fellow Americans stand up and end this injustice."

Mountain Justice Summer continues, check in with Lowbagger for updates from the Appalachians.