WVEC Action AlertSeptember 9, 2008ACTION ALERT: Coal company to begin destruction of major West Virginia wind energy resource Citizens ask WV Governor Manchin for “stay of execution” for Coal River Mountain; Hey Folks, The residents of the Coal River Valley in West Virginia urgently need your help. While we thought we had months to stop the proposed Mountaintop Removal coal mining operation for Coal River Mountain, the coal company – Massey Energy – circumvented the law and altered their permits, and are set to begin blasting the mountain for coal TOMORROW, September 10th. If they are allowed to proceed, the blasting will eliminate some of the potential for the production of clean wind energy and creation of good, green jobs on Coal River Mountain, and it will be harder for local residents to stop the continuation of the mining once it has started. So, we need your help. Could you call Governor Manchin, today, and ask him to issue a “stay of execution” for Coal River Mountain? He already knows that there is a real alternative to Mountaintop Removal here, and he knows it is the better option, now he needs to hear it from you! He needs to know that the state and the nation are watching him, and that you know that the decision is HIS to make. The Coal River Mountain Wind Project is such a great alternative that it was awarded Co-Op America’s “Building Economic Alternatives” Award, and is also being highlighted for the national Green Jobs Now! Day of Action on September 27th. But without your help, all of this will be lost for short-term, destructive coal mining. Please pass this around to your friends, family, colleagues and email lists. The louder the voice, the better the chance of stopping the blasting. YOU can help by:
Governor Manchin, I am asking you to support the Coal River Wind Farm and halt blasting until you can look into this opportunity further. Massey Energy has issued notice for blasting at the site to begin tomorrow (Wednesday, September 10). Community members have requested for weeks that you put a freeze on the mountaintop removal mine and give citizens of West Virginia a chance to save Coal River Mountain. Many people across southern West Virginia and across the United States were excited to learn recently that you are planning to make your case for renewable energy development in your upcoming “State of the State” speech, and that you have been publicly supporting the development of renewable energy in West Virginia in various speeches. During your 2008 State of the State address you pointed out “that the main ingredient to a successful energy future is sustainability” and encouraged the development of renewable energy like wind and solar. For this reason we hope you will be supportive of this landmark opportunity to put West Virginia on the renewable energy map. Coal River Mountain in West Virginia has enough wind potential to provide electricity for over 150,000 homes and create 50 well-paying, good jobs, forever. The proposed wind farm would also help diversify the local economy in an area historically dependent upon sparse, temporary coal mining jobs. This opportunity depends upon the mountain being left intact. We feel you could do no better than to highlight Coal River Mountain, and to lend your full support for the development of a utility-scale wind farm as an economically viable alternative to Massey’s proposed 6,000+ acre mountaintop removal operation that is currently planned for the mountain. By supporting this project, you will show both the state and the nation that you are truly committed to diversifying West Virginia’s energy portfolio, and that you are willing to make tough choices in order to ensure the future of energy production and strong economy for the state and nation. Citizens everywhere are concerned about the state of our economy and rising energy prices. Recent estimates produced by the U.S. Geologic Survey show that West Virginia has only 20-30 more years at which current levels of coal production in West Virginia can be maintained, so the time to begin developing these alternative energy sources is now, for as remaining coal runs out, the price of electricity will skyrocket. However, we have a new and better option, and we are asking that you lend your full support for this project based on its long-term economic, social and environmental benefits, especially as they compare positively to the short-term benefits and long-term costs that will result from proposed strip-mining operations. Governor Manchin, the choice is yours, and we hope that you make the right one – for the residents of Coal River Mountain, for West Virginia, and for the nation. Sincerely, [Your Name] Thank you for all of your help and support, With Great Appreciation,
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