Jeff Biggers

Author, "Reckoning at Eagle Creek: The Secret Legacy of Coal in the Heartland"
Posted: September 27, 2010 03:01 PM        
    

BREAKING: Mass Arrests in DC: We Shall No Longer Be Crucified Upon the Cross of Coal (PHOTOS HERE) 

Over one hundred protesters from the Appalachian coalfields were arrested in front of the White House today, defiantly calling on the Obama administration to abolish mountaintop removal mining. As part of the Appalachia Rising events, the coalfield residents took part in a multi-day series of events to bring the escalating human rights, environmental and health care crisis to the nation's capitol.

Kentuckians for the Commonwealth leaders Teri Blanton and Mickey McCoy, the first arrested in today's nonviolent act of civil disobedience, were joined by allies from around the country, including NASA climatologist James Hansen. Meanwhile, protesters led by the legendary Rev. Billy Talen staged a nearby sit-in at the office of the PNC bank, which remains one of the last major financiers of coal companies engaged in this extreme form of strip-mining in Appalachia.

In a stark reminder of the national connection to the coalfields, the Obama administration officials looked on from their White House offices, as their electricity came from a coal-fired plant generated partly with coal stripmined from Appalachia.

As a litmus test of the administration's commitment to science and the rule of law, Appalachian residents are calling on the EPA to halt any new permit on the upcoming decision over the massive Spruce mountaintop removal mine.

Mountaintop removal coal only provides, in fact, less than 10 percent of all coal production.

Fed up with the regulatory crisis and circumventions by outside coal companies, coalfield residents have been rising up against reckless strip-mining practices against the country, from Alaska to Alabama to Arizona.

In southern Illinois, scores of black crosses were found at coal mines, strip mines, coal-fired plants, coal ash piles, and at the Southern Illinois University Coal Research Center.

Citing Illinois as the birthplace of the coal industry, and "ground zero in the Obama administration's plan to dangerously experiment with carbon capture and storage technologies for coal-fired plants," a new Black Cross Alliance campaign announced plans to construct symbolic black crosses at coal mining and coal-burning landmarks in the state and across the nation to serve as a public warning: It is no longer acceptable for the Obama administration--and state and regional government officials---to be complicit in maintaining deadly coal mining and coal-burning communities as shameful national sacrifice areas in 2010.

Invoking William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech, the Black Cross Alliance called on the Obama administration and the state of Illinois to halt billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies for multinational coal corporations, and bring an end to the scandalous coal wars in Illinois by re-investing in a sustainable clean energy policy for the future for the coalfield regions.

The Black Cross Alliance declared: You shall not crucify us any longer upon a cross of coal.

"While the rest of the nation--and world--launches into the exploding new global market of clean energy development and green jobs," the Black Cross Alliance asked, "why have the coalfield regions in the country been left out of the renewnable energy movement and slated for a new generation of increased coal production?"

For more updates on Appalachia Rising, see: www.appalachiarising.org

Symposium presented by volunteer facilitators trained by The Pachamama Alliance.

An exploration of the current state of our planet from a new perspective, connecting participants with a powerful global movement to reclaim our future. Learn more.

ABBOT Public Library
235 Pleasant St
Marblehead, MA     01945

Cost
FREE
Symposium is free and open to the Public

Please call or visit the Abbot Library circulation desk to register for this symposium: 781-631-1481
www.abbotlibrary.org
Contact
Patti Rogers
Phone:781-631-1481

10 October 2010 - 10:00am - 6:00pm

How to Get Involved Planning the Event: contact Katie Giddings kat_rg@yahoo.com

Event Host: Salem Alliance for the Environment (SAFE) and the Salem Renewable Energy Task Force, with help from Salem Sound Coastwatch and Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET)

[from Katie Giddings] —
I'm planning to attend this conference, and wanted to see if others are interested as well. If we gather names and emails of 10 or more interested members before we register, we can get a group discount of $10 off each ticket.
Thanks!
-Katie
————————
MCAN Conference Registration has begun for our Ninth Annual Climate Action Conference, at Clark University in Worcester, MA. Holding the conference in the middle of the state helps us to reach out to a whole new group--people who may never experienced an MCAN conference.

But along with making new friends, we really want to keep the old--that is, the hundreds of loyal fans who have been coming since 2001! So we are offering a special 10-10 group discount rate ($10 off every admission) to MCAN chapters that gather the names and emails of at least 10 of your members who want to come to the conference. We will send out a special code they can use to get the discount when registering.

We understand how hard it is to keep on keeping on, in the face of little apparent progress on the climate change frontlines. So, for the tools and inspiration you need to continue the most important fight of our lives, join hundreds of other students, community activists, and concerned citizens at the MCAN Climate Action Conference on October 24th.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH8xiZNCQWs
part II:
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