Rock Creek, WV — While the nation swelters under a record breaking heat wave, things are also heating up in the hills of southern West Virginia. Yesterday two young women,  Becks Kolins, 21, and  Catherine-Ann MacDougal, 24, representing a new group called Radical Action for Mountain Peoples Survival (RAMPS) climbed and occupied two trees on a blasting site on Coal River Mountain.

Coal River Mountain – Images by antrim caskey

As I write, Alpha Energy, which recently acquired Massey Energy through a merger, has suspended blasting on Coal River Mountain and is currently constructing a new road to the remote location to remove them. This action by RAMPS brings much needed attention to the subject of mountain top removal coal mining in Appalachia, where every week more than a million pounds of explosives are detonated, more ridges flattened, more valleys filled, more creeks buried, and more toxic dust and runoff are released into the air and waters of Appalachian families.

The RAMPS trees sit comes on the heels of series of reports by Dr. Michael Hendryx of West Virginia University that shows a strong connection between mountain top removal mining and increased rates of birth defects for babies who are born near MTR mining operations. The National Mining Association (NMA) received a wave of harsh criticism from members of Congress when they alleged the study was flawed because it did not include consanguinity as a probable cause, which is of course to suggest, wrongly, that inbreeding is more common in Appalachia than in other regions of the US. The NMA has since apologized for the insult, but continues to reject the findings, as have all of West Virginia’s politicians. Still, The Hendryx report has added tremendous fuel to the fire as the movement to ban mountain top removal continues to gain momentum.

This is the reason why so many have answered the call to action, to come to the Coal River and to engage in non-violent civil disobedience. RAMPS joins the long line of citizens groups that have put their bodies on the line to stop this illegal and immoral practice, including Coal River Mountain Watch, Mountain Justice, Rainforest Action Network, Climate Ground Zero and many others. Tim DeChristopher, aka Bidder Number 70, and spokesperson for Utah-based Peaceful Uprising has also called on the American people to come to West Virginia to take part, and actions will likely continue throughout the summer.

It remains to be seen how Alpha will respond to this tree sit, but so far, they seem to be taking a more cautious approach then previous owner Massey, where CEO Don Blankenship would direct the company’s response from his private helicopter. We can only hope and pray that Alpha takes no actions that will endanger the safety of these courageous tree climbers and that the Governor or the EPA immediately halt the blasting that has now been proven to be killing people and putting a generation of Appalachian babies at risk.

While Climate Ground Zero has no formal relationship with RAMPS, we continue to provide support to them and other groups who are fighting mountain top removal. Much of our time over the last year has been spent working with our lawyers to defend the dozens of activists from four separate Massey lawsuits and to prepare for my upcoming criminal trial. When the Climate Ground Zero campaign began, Massey filed for a broad injunction that enjoined anyone from trespassing on their property subject to a five thousand dollar fine. Rulings in our favor by higher courts have severely narrowed the scope of these injunctions, including a ruling early this year that Massey could not get access to Climate Ground Zero membership lists and e-mails. CGZ is still litigating this case but a trial date has yet to be set.

As for my criminal case, I am facing two and a half years for three separate charges stemming for a CGZ action in the spring of 2010. Because this was my sixth arrest the prosecutor has asked for the maximum sentence and a jury trial is set for July 28th in Raleigh County District Court, but the date may yet again be moved.

Trespassing on Massey property and obstructing mining operations are not things we take lightly. It requires courage and dedication and a tremendous amount of effort. It also requires the support of lots of people. Not just the supporters like Junior Walk and Elias Schewel , who were arrested at the base of the tree until police arrived, but by people like you who can send them money for legal fees and to keep things rolling. Please log onto to the RAMPS website and get involved.

Mike Roselle