Earthbytes

Groups Challenge New Stream Buffer Rule

Wahlquist, Johnson and Bush: No more aquacide in Appalachia!

It's official -- just got word from Earthjustice that our legal challenge of the Bush Administration's decision to approve a new mine waste and stream buffer zone rule has been filed in DC, and the press release has gone out. Grassroots coalfield citizens from one end of the Appalachians to the other stand ready to field questions about what we did and why we did it. Woohoo!

In light of the fact that this challenge is all about surface coal mining -- especially mountaintop removal -- it's really interesting that we woke up to news this morning about the collapseof a TVA retention pond dam around 1 am that released water and fly ash from the Kingston power plant in Harriman, TN. The breach flooded fifteen houses and caused a train derailment in addition to closing some roads.

What's the connection? For one, if you live in Tennessee and have used the "Connection to Coal" widget further down this page, you know that the Kingston plant uses coal extracted using mountaintop removal mining methods. Aquacide and dam failures represent hazards in the "chain of custody" of coal from extraction to disposal of combustion waste, and include displacement of people and disruption of communities from dam failures.

By the way, don't be deceived by the innocuous-sounding term fly ash. This stuff is loaded with mercury and other toxic residues remaining after coal is burned, and so is the water it flowed out in.

I was hoping to include a link to an article about our stream buffer rule challenge that I submitted to OpEd Newsthis morning, but it's apparently still in queue, so I think I'll hit this publish button and go write some letters to some editors about all of this stuff. I'll come back later to post the link.

Help Us Make Some CLEAN Calls to the White House

Ask President Obama to Invest in a Clean Energy Economy!

SOCM invites you to be a part of history!

On January 21, 2009, join thousands of people from all over the country in calling the White House to ask President Obama to invest in a clean energy economy.  This national Call to Action is being coordinated by CLEAN (Citizens Lead for Energy Action Now), a movement of grassroots organizations (including SOCM) and individuals with the common goal of implementing a new energy future and creating new jobs by investing in safe, clean renewable energy and energy efficiency.  

Let’s Take Back Our Economy by Investing in a Clean Energy Future!

Don’t miss this opportunity to tell the new President what our concerns are:

Suggested phone message:  

Hello, my name is____________ .  I support CLEAN, a national movement of grassroots organizations with a common goal – building a new energy future by investing in safe and renewable clean energy, a clean economy and green jobs.

I want the President to know that I believe our federal government must invest in renewable energy such as wind, solar and geothermal and create true incentives for energy efficiency because these are the cleanest, least expensive, and fastest options we have.  

President Obama: There is NO SUCH THING as “clean coal;” the effects of burning fossil fuels like coal leads to climate change. I want to see the economic stimulus package include $500 billion over three years for energy efficiency and renewable energy and not a dime in subsidies for the coal and nuclear industries.

Let’s Change Our Nation’s Energy Future!

Thank you.

When should we call? From 9 AM Eastern time on January 21 and throughout the day

What’s the phone number?  The White House switchboard is (202) 456-1414.

Let us know you will call on January 21!

Go to this link or click on the Call the White House icon below:
http://theclean.org/callwh.html?orgcode=socm
1) Fill in your information and click “I’ll call.”
2) Check your email for a message from CLEAN and click on the validation link.

Please pledge online AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  This will help us keep track of how many calls will be made.  SOCM has pledged to generate 600 calls!  Please be a caller!

Tell Obama to End Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining

EPA Blows Assignment on Stream Buffer Zone Rule

We got word yesterday that EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson signed off on changes to the stream buffer zone rule, opening the door for destruction of more American headwater streams at surface coal mines. The ruling ignored testimony of thousands of citizens at hearings last year, and came right behind an 11th hour campaign last month by grassroots and environmental groups across the country to urge Johnson to reject the changes.

Yesterday afternoon a joint press release by Earthjustice, Sierra Club, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Coal River Mountain Watch and West Virginia Highlands Conservancy alerted the media and grassroots networks that Johnson had approved the rule. This morning, in addition to the Charleston Gazette article linked above, links to articles in the New York Times, Washington Post, McClatchypapers and Appalachian coalfield media flooded e-mail lists in coalfield networks in time for breakfast.

Also this morning, the crew at I Love Mountains sent out a call for action to let President-elect Obama know what we'd like him to do to end Bush's war on the environment and stop mountaintop removal mining forever. Grassroots advocates look to Obama because of his campaign stance on mountaintop mining.

In a 2007 speech in Lexington, Kentucky, Obama spoke against the practice: "We're tearing up the Appalachian Mountains because of our dependence on fossil fuels," he said. "We have to find more environmentally sound ways of mining coal than simply blowing the tops off mountains."

The on-line action letter from I Love Mountains asks Obama to reverse the buffer zone decision, hold the EPA, OSM and the Corps of Engineers accountable for enforcement of the Clean Water Act and other environmental rules, prioritize Appalachia in America's clean energy future, and urge Congress to pass the Clean Water Protection Act.

They also have some great widgets for bloggers and folks with Facebook or My Space pages. Click the 100 days box below to take action now.