RPCV Mike Tidwell and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network to Dump Coal on Campus Lawn to Protest W. Virginia Gov's Coal Plans
Maryland/D.C. Environmental Activists to Dump Coal on Campus Lawn to Protest W. Virginia Gov's Coal Plans
7/21/2004 2:47:00 PM
To: State Desk, Environment Reporter
Contact: Mike Tidwell of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, 240-460-5838
SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va., July 21 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Seven environmental groups, whose members stretch from the Ohio Valley to the suburbs of D.C. to Maryland's Eastern Shore, will dump one ton of coal outside a gathering of government and corporate leaders who are planning to accelerate mountaintop removal and combustion of high-polluting coal throughout West Virginia and surrounding states.
This first-of-its-kind protest against Big Coal -- featuring such groups as the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network -- is designed to force a public debate about the horrors of coal use. A rally from 1-4 pm on Thursday July 22 will feature testimonials from coalfield residents, music, and the dumping of one ton of Appalachia coal on the Shepherd University Campus in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
"Citizens of our region have suffered enough at the hands of the coal industry," said Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. "We've had enough with the acid rain, Code Red smog days, childhood asthma, mercury poisoning, mountaintop removal, and global warming. We want a clean-energy economy now and a just and fair transition away from coal use."
The Shepherd University campus will also be the location of a day-long July 22 meeting of corporate and government leaders whose declared intent is to find ways to mine and burn more coal to meet America's "security" needs. The gathering, called "The Role of Coal in Economic and Homeland Security," comes on the heels of W. Virginia Governor Bob Wise's "Energy Task Force Report" promoting more coal extraction. The special industry/government meeting is sponsored by the West Virginia Coal Forum and other pro-industry groups.
For more details and directions to the Thursday, July 22 Anti- Coal Rally from 1-4 pm please visit http://www.shepherd.edu/greenweb/july22.htm
Or call Mike Tidwell of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network at 240-460-5838 or Daniel Chiotos of the Shepherd Progressive Action Committee at 304-283-6463
http://www.usnewswire.com/
