West Va. Supreme Court Affirms Toxic Coal Silo as Wonderful Playground
While coal may now be the official
rock of West Virginia, it might soon become the official school
vegetable, too. Call it organic clean coal.
Jun 10, 2009
While coal may now be the official
rock of West Virginia, it might soon become the official school
vegetable, too. Call it organic clean coal.
On the heels of being reprimanded by the US Supreme Court this week
for allowing one of its Massey coal company-bankrolled justices to
refuse to recuse himself on Massey coal-related court matters, the West
Virginia Supreme Court upheld a lower court's decision to allow the
construction of another controversial coal silo within yards of the
Marsh Fork Elementary School in Sundial, West Virginia. The WV Supreme
Court (this time without the recused justice) made their ruling on a
very narrow technicality.
As always, Ken Ward has the full story at the Coal Tattoo blog.
According to Vernon Haltom of the Coal River Mountain Watch: "The
West Virginia Supreme Court has once again proven that coal company
profits outweigh law, science, justice, and basic human decency. The
court has given Massey Energy the go-ahead to put more tons of fine
coal dust in the air that children breathe every school day during
their crucial development years. Placing a second coal silo within 300
feet of the school is a clear violation of the intent of the law, which
is to protect the public. Now, more than ever, Governor Joe Manchin
and the Raleigh County School Board must do everything in their
extensive power and influence to get these kids a safe new school in
their own community."
The Marsh Fork Elementary School might be the poster child for
everything that is wrong about our failed mining policies: Only a few
football fields downslope of a 2.8 billion gallon coal sludge
impoundment, the school and its children are also subjected to the
toxic coal dust within a football field of their playground.
An overview of the Marsh Fork Elementary situation can be seen here.
Three years ago, local resident and former coal miner Ed Wiley
walked 445 miles to Washington, DC in a campaign to get a new school
built for his granddaughter and other local kids.
To understand the concerns and despair of the local parents at Marsh Fork Elementary, here's a clip from Wiley:
Here's another clip on the impact of coal on Marsh Fork area residents:
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Jeff Biggers
Jeff Biggers is the author of numerous books, including his latest: "Resistance: Reclaiming an American Tradition?" His previous works include: "State Out of the Union: Arizona and the Final Showdown Over the American Dream;" "The United States of Appalachia;" and "Reckoning at Eagle Creek: The Secret Legacy of Coal in the Heartland."
While coal may now be the official
rock of West Virginia, it might soon become the official school
vegetable, too. Call it organic clean coal.
On the heels of being reprimanded by the US Supreme Court this week
for allowing one of its Massey coal company-bankrolled justices to
refuse to recuse himself on Massey coal-related court matters, the West
Virginia Supreme Court upheld a lower court's decision to allow the
construction of another controversial coal silo within yards of the
Marsh Fork Elementary School in Sundial, West Virginia. The WV Supreme
Court (this time without the recused justice) made their ruling on a
very narrow technicality.
As always, Ken Ward has the full story at the Coal Tattoo blog.
According to Vernon Haltom of the Coal River Mountain Watch: "The
West Virginia Supreme Court has once again proven that coal company
profits outweigh law, science, justice, and basic human decency. The
court has given Massey Energy the go-ahead to put more tons of fine
coal dust in the air that children breathe every school day during
their crucial development years. Placing a second coal silo within 300
feet of the school is a clear violation of the intent of the law, which
is to protect the public. Now, more than ever, Governor Joe Manchin
and the Raleigh County School Board must do everything in their
extensive power and influence to get these kids a safe new school in
their own community."
The Marsh Fork Elementary School might be the poster child for
everything that is wrong about our failed mining policies: Only a few
football fields downslope of a 2.8 billion gallon coal sludge
impoundment, the school and its children are also subjected to the
toxic coal dust within a football field of their playground.
An overview of the Marsh Fork Elementary situation can be seen here.
Three years ago, local resident and former coal miner Ed Wiley
walked 445 miles to Washington, DC in a campaign to get a new school
built for his granddaughter and other local kids.
To understand the concerns and despair of the local parents at Marsh Fork Elementary, here's a clip from Wiley:
Here's another clip on the impact of coal on Marsh Fork area residents:
Jeff Biggers
Jeff Biggers is the author of numerous books, including his latest: "Resistance: Reclaiming an American Tradition?" His previous works include: "State Out of the Union: Arizona and the Final Showdown Over the American Dream;" "The United States of Appalachia;" and "Reckoning at Eagle Creek: The Secret Legacy of Coal in the Heartland."
While coal may now be the official
rock of West Virginia, it might soon become the official school
vegetable, too. Call it organic clean coal.
On the heels of being reprimanded by the US Supreme Court this week
for allowing one of its Massey coal company-bankrolled justices to
refuse to recuse himself on Massey coal-related court matters, the West
Virginia Supreme Court upheld a lower court's decision to allow the
construction of another controversial coal silo within yards of the
Marsh Fork Elementary School in Sundial, West Virginia. The WV Supreme
Court (this time without the recused justice) made their ruling on a
very narrow technicality.
As always, Ken Ward has the full story at the Coal Tattoo blog.
According to Vernon Haltom of the Coal River Mountain Watch: "The
West Virginia Supreme Court has once again proven that coal company
profits outweigh law, science, justice, and basic human decency. The
court has given Massey Energy the go-ahead to put more tons of fine
coal dust in the air that children breathe every school day during
their crucial development years. Placing a second coal silo within 300
feet of the school is a clear violation of the intent of the law, which
is to protect the public. Now, more than ever, Governor Joe Manchin
and the Raleigh County School Board must do everything in their
extensive power and influence to get these kids a safe new school in
their own community."
The Marsh Fork Elementary School might be the poster child for
everything that is wrong about our failed mining policies: Only a few
football fields downslope of a 2.8 billion gallon coal sludge
impoundment, the school and its children are also subjected to the
toxic coal dust within a football field of their playground.
An overview of the Marsh Fork Elementary situation can be seen here.
Three years ago, local resident and former coal miner Ed Wiley
walked 445 miles to Washington, DC in a campaign to get a new school
built for his granddaughter and other local kids.
To understand the concerns and despair of the local parents at Marsh Fork Elementary, here's a clip from Wiley:
Here's another clip on the impact of coal on Marsh Fork area residents:
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