Climate Ground Zero Delivers Toxic Blasting Dust to Capitol Building in Charleston, West Virginia

For Immediate release:

Climate Ground Zero Delivers Toxic Blasting Dust to Capitol Building in Charleston, West Virginia
When: Monday, November 25 at 1:00 P.M.
Where: The Liberty Bell Memorial near the back steps of the Capitol Building.

“Blasting mountaintops to mine for coal has been controversial in Appalachia since the 1970’s when it was first introduced. We believe it has never been legal or regulated. It destroys the streams that are the headwaters for our nations great rivers. The communities that live here have fought in every war since the American Revolution yet they are being dishonorably displaced and even their cemeteries are being desecrated, blasted, and buried in toxic mining spoils. Most importantly, new studies have shown that breathing the blasting dust can be fatal. It is past time to end the blasting,” said Mike Roselle, director of Climate Ground Zero.

“If this does not stop, and stop soon, our next actions will be on the blasting sites. At present, more than 5 million pounds of ammonium nitrate diesel fuel blasting explosives are detonated in West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky alone every week.  That means Appalachia as a whole is under a constant barrage of nearly 6 million pounds of explosives, detonated every day save Sunday. No one should have to live under this,” said James McGuinness, one of the protesters with Climate Ground Zero.

Additional background information available at climategroundzero.org
Contact: Mike Roselle Climate Ground Zero cell: 205 999 8391

cell: 304 854 7788 (office)