If you've traveled the Midland Trail through West Virginia then you've probably driven through Ansted, which is pictured here. Take a look at the mountain in front of you. It will soon be gone. Why? MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL!U.S. Rt. 60 (the old Roosevelt Trail) curves left and passes by Hawk's Nest State Park. Directly across from its entrance is another mountain - soon to be leveled by MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL!
This is the view from the overlook at the park's lodge. The famous New River - one of the oldest in the country - is home to West Virginia's white-water rafting industry. It is spanned by the New River Gorge Bridge - highest vehicular bridge in the Americas - second highest in the world.The Midland Trail is part of the American Scenic Byways Program. Its 180 miles carries tourists along one of the oldest and most historic sections of America. It boasts "The Best of West Virginia" as it promotes our top industry - TOURISM!
Traveling east from Ansted one enters Greenbrier County and shortly before coming to the historic town of Lewisburg you will pass through Rupert. Home to a new MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL permit between Anjean and Trout. What was once a beautiful drive - will be no more!
The situation on the Midland Trail right now is this: coal trucks; log trucks; "Friends of Coal" license plates; Massey's trucks; a coal-fired co-generation project; drug busts at the mines; "Miners Needed" signs; and worst of all, our young people being pressured to work in the mines instead of going to college.
Now I want to know - what does all of this have to do with promoting tourism in West Virginia? Where is the Midland Trail Association in all of this? Where is the state division of Tourism? Where is the Governor? The Legislature? The local leaders? And our Senators, Congressmen? Bought off by KING COAL????????
MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL is going to destroy tourism on the Midland Trail, just as it has destroyed town after town, stream after stream, and family after family across Central Appalachia.
West Virginia has been good to this country! We have supplied coal to help build America and keep the lights on for over 100 years! Enough is enough! We're being annihilated here and we need help!
Support the Clean Water Act - fight the Buffer Zone Rule Change - and don't vote for anyone who will not take a stand against this social and environmental injustice!
Please contact The Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition or Coal River Mountain Watch. They have resources to help you get involved, speak out and put an end to this madness! Churches and people of faith can contact Christians for the Mountains.
3 comments:
Please visit Center for Coalfield Justice's homepage to links on the stream buffer zone hearings on Oct. 24th, talking points for writing comments in protest to the proposed decision, and a link to the OSMs page to make e-comments.
http://www.coalfieldjustice.org/
Can we use something other than "King Coal"...something like despicable tyrant, evil dictator, or egregious coal. We overthrew the monachy in the 1700's and each time we see the word KING we retch.
We should retch! The word "King" is still very much a reality here in the Appalachians. Coal RULES the government, the electorate and the economy. We even name highways to nowhere after the despicable tyrant!
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