WVPBS: Manchin says he had nothing to do with Blair Mountain decision


West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, III at the state Capitol. photograph (c) antrim caskey, 2006
West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, III at the state Capitol. photograph (c) antrim caskey, 2006


April 7, 2009 · Gov. Joe Manchin says he and his office were not involved in the decision to ask that Blair Mountain be removed from the National Register of Historic Places.

In fact, he says he was surprised to learn that the Division of Culture and History had asked for the historic battlefield to be taken off the list.

The National Park Service added Blair Mountain to the National Register of Historic Places last week.

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East Bank Blow Out

At approximately 5:35am Monday morning, an underground mine blew out directly above the town of East Bank, West Virginia, 20 miles southeast of Charleston, the state capital. Route 61 will be closed for the near future according to DOT employees on the scene; East Bank Middle School was evacuated and closed for the day. Mayor Blair could not be immediately reached for comment on whether school will be in session tomorrow or not.

Residents were gathered outside to watch the waters cascading down their mountain. One lifelong resident, Lois Armstrong,described it, “They’ve done everything to Coalburg Mountain–they mined it underground, they surfaced mined it and now they’re mountaintop removal coal mining. Their blast shake my dishes and every rock on this mountain…”



Crackdown on Coal



Mike Roselle and James McGuinness shut down massey Energy on Cherry Pond mountain in southern West Virginia, February 25, 2009.  photograph (c) antrim caskey, 2009
Mike Roselle and James McGuinness shut down massey Energy on Cherry Pond mountain in southern West Virginia, February 25, 2009. photograph (c) antrim caskey, 2009



ROCK CREEK, WVa — The gig is up on mountaintop removal coal mining. The Obama administration has spoken out on the issue for the first time. Today, Lisa Jackson, director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced plans to place a hold on hundreds of permits for mountaintop removal coal mining, for review, to determine the “effects on streams and wetlands.”

It’s an excellent first step towards ending the appalling practice of obliterating the ancient, forested Appalachian mountains and running out her people who’ve lived and depended upon the bounty of these hills for centuries.

But what about the hundreds of permits that have been granted already?  It will take at least five years for active permits to run their course of destruction. With only 3% – 5% of post-mined lands reclaimed, cleaning up after Massey Energy in Appalachia is a shovel ready proposition.

Today’s announcement is certainly a harbinger for positive change but today’s announcement does not stop the three million pounds of explosives used in mountaintop removal operations every day in West Virginia. Today’s announcement does not stop the blasting on Cherry Pond mountain and the toxic aftermath that rains down on Bo, JoAnne, Danny and Rosa.

We now need to halt all mountaintop removal operations. Shut them down.