Changes

===March 2009: Obama EPA begins to crack down on mountaintop removal===

On March 23, 2009, the Obama administration began making moves to block or stall mountaintop removal mining permits. The EPA issued letters meant to halt or slow two mining permits proposed by the federal Army Corps of Engineers in West Virginia and Kentucky. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson made an official announcement on March 24, saying, "The two letters reflect EPA's considerable concern regarding the environmental impacts these projects would have on fragile habitats and streams. I have directed the agency to review other mining permits requests. EPA will use the best science and follow the letter of the law in ensuring we are protecting our environment."<ref>Ken Ward Jr., [http://wvgazette.com/News/200903240379 "Obama EPA starts crackdown on mountaintop removal,"] ''Charleston Gazette,'' March 24, 2009.</ref>

===November 2009: Court finds Army Corps of Engineers violated Clean Water Act in MTR permitting case===

On November 24, 2009, U.S. District Judge Chuck Chambers ruled that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers violated federal environmental laws by issuing permits for two mountaintop removal coal mines in West Virginia without allowing sufficient public involvement. Chambers found that the Corps violated the Clean Water Act and National Environmental Policy Act when it issued permits for [[CONSOL Energy|CONSOL Energy's]] Ike Fork mines and Penn Virginia's Nellis mine. Chambers ordered the Corps to rectify the problem with the permits, while also allowing "limited" mining to continue at the sites for 60 days. The case may have implications for other surface mines already permitted and in operation. According to Oliver Bernstein of the [[Sierra Club]], "Most of the pending permits in West Virginia may need to go back through the public process."<ref>Tim Huber, [http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=9168875 "Judge sides with environmental groups in coal case,"] Associated Press, November 25, 2009.</ref>

===April 5, 2010: 29 killed in blast at Massey coal mine===

On April 5, 2010, an explosion at a [[Massey Energy]]'s underground [[Upper Big Branch Mine South|Upper Big Branch Mine]] in southern West Virginia killed 29 miners, with two hospitalized.<ref name="la times">Bob Drogin and Nicole Santa Cruz,[http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-wva-mine6-2010apr06,0,124334.story?page=1 "25 miners killed in West Virginia explosion"] LA Times, April 6, 2010.</ref><ref>Massey Energy, [http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/update-on-rescue-efforts-from-massey-energy-90445529.html "Update on Rescue Efforts From Massey Energy"], Media Release, April 10, 2010.</ref> Mine-safety experts said explosions are typically caused by high levels of methane produced during [[longwall mining]], which mining companies try to dilute with ventilation systems, although Massey has been repeatedly cited for violating this requirement.<ref name="la times">Bob Drogin and Nicole Santa Cruz,[http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-wva-mine6-2010apr06,0,124334.story?page=1 "25 miners killed in West Virginia explosion"] LA Times, April 6, 2010.</ref><ref name="jh">[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304017404575166441192497502.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_4 "West Virginia Mine Blast Kills Seven"] The Wall Street Journal, April 5, 2010.</ref>

==West Virginia Coal Reports==

===2009 Study finds coal's costs in premature deaths outweigh economic benefits===

A 2009 study co-authored by a West Virginia University professor, [http://wvgazette.com/static/coal%20tattoo/Mortality%20AppCoalRegions.pdf '''Mortality in Appalachian Coal Mining Regions: The Value of Statistical Life Lost'''] reports that coal mining in [[Appalachia]] costs five times more in premature deaths than the industry provides in jobs, taxes, and other economic benefits. According to the study, the coal industry creates about $8 billion per year in economic benefits for the Appalachian region, but even using conservative estimates, the cost of premature deaths attributable to coal mining is valued at approximately $42 billion. Michael Hendryx, along with co-author Melissa Ahern of Washington State University, recommends that politicians seek other means for improving the economy and quality of life of Appalachia, in such areas as renewable energy, sustainable timber, small-scale agriculture, and ecosystem restoration.<ref name="gaz">Ken Ward Jr, [http://wvgazette.com/News/200906200170 "Coal's costs outweigh benefits, WVU study finds,"] ''Charleston Gazette,'' June 20, 2009.</ref>

===August 2, 2006: Ed Wiley walks to Washington D.C. for the kids of Marsh Fork Elementary===

On August 2nd, West Virginian grandfather and Coal River Valley resident Ed Wiley left Charleston, WV to walk to Washington DC. The march was to raise awareness and funds to build a new Marsh Fork Elementary School in Raleigh County, WV.

Marsh Fork Elementary sits directly below a leaking 2.8 billion gallon toxic coal slurry impoundment and 150 feet from a coal processing plant. Directly above the slurry impoundment is an active mountaintop removal site.<ref>[http://www.penniesofpromise.org/?page_id=14 Marsh Fork Elementary], Pennies of Promise website, accessed 9/30/2008</ref>

<ref>[http://lowbagger.org/edwalk.html Ed Wiley walks to D.C. and puts polluted school in spotlight] Lowbagger.org, accessed 9/30/2008</ref>

In July 2010, it was announced that Massey Energy had filed a politically motivated civil suit, also known as a [[Strategic Lawsuit against Public Participation]] (SLAPP) suit, against fourteen activists arrested in relation to the protest. Massey is seeking $350,000 in damages for loss of coal production on that day. All fourteen activists had their criminal charges resolved in a W. Va. court in September 2009. RAN said the suit seems to be part of a larger strategy on the part of Massey to silence critics of the company’s safety record and controversial mining practices, particularly mountaintop removal.<ref name="ran">[http://understory.ran.org/2010/07/29/massey-energy-files-’slapp’-lawsuit-against-environmental-activists/ "Massey Energy Files Civil Lawsuit against Environmental Activists"] RAN, July 29, 2010.</ref>

===June 23, 2009: Dozens arrested protesting at Massey Energy site in Coal River Valley, WV===

Eight activists blocked a road at a Kanawha County, WV surface mine to protest [[Mountaintop removal|mountaintop removal]]. The mine is owned by Ed Coal Co. The protesters were arrested and charged with trespassing, consipiracy, and obstructing an officer.<ref>Ry Rivard, [http://www.allbusiness.com/crime-law-enforcement-corrections/law-arrests/13284061-1.html "Coal truck protesters hail from all over the place,"] ''Charleston Daily Mail,'' October 23, 2009.</ref>

===October 30, 2009: Activists protest mountaintop removal at EPA offices throughout the U.S.===

At a protest in front of the White House in opposition to [[mountaintop removal]] in places like West Virginia, over 100 people were arrested. In all, it was stated that 2,000 people took part in protests around the city. Hundreds of people marched down Pennsylvania Avenue to Lafayette Park, which faces the White House, according to protesters and media accounts. The march included at least one stop, at U.S. EPA headquarters, protesters said. It was reported that James Hansen, who heads the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, was among those arrested.

===June 2011: March on Blair Mountain===

===June 2012: 22 arrested today sitting in Congressional Offices to stop mountaintop removal===

On June 6, 2012, 22 people were arrested at Congressional offices in Washington DC to protest mountaintop removal. Appalachia Rising reported the following arrests: "2 from Representative Duncan’s office in Tennessee, 6 from Rep. Griffith’s office in Virginia, 7 from Rep. Rahall’s office in West Virginia, and 7 from Rep. Rogers’ office in Kentucky. Nearly 4 dozen risked arrest."<ref>[http://appalachiarising.org/ Appalachia Rising] Accessed June 6, 2012.</ref>