| By Dave Harding, ProgressOhio - Apr 20th, 2009 at 10:26 am EDT |
“The people of Appalachia have sacrificed everything including their lives for energy in America. We must put a stop to mountaintop removal coal mining and transition to renewable energy to allow us our homeland security and to preserve our rightful place and culture in the mountains.”
In the heart of Appalachia, where the coal industry wields enormous power over government and public opinion, lifelong resident Maria Gunnoe fights against environmentally-devastating mountaintop removal mining and valley fill operations. Her advocacy has led to the closure of mines in the region and stricter regulations for the industry.
In 2000, a 1,200-acre mountaintop removal mine began on the ridge above Gunnoe’s home. Today, her house sits directly below a 10-story valley fill that contains two toxic ponds of mine waste comprised of run-off from the mine. Since the mine became operational, Gunnoe’s property has flooded seven times. Before mining began, Gunnoe’s property was never prone to such flooding. In a 2004 flood, much of Gunnoe’s ancestral home was destroyed and her yard was covered in toxic coal sludge. The coal company told her the damage was an “act of God.” As a result of mine waste, her well and ground water have been contaminated, forcing her family to use bottled water for cooking and drinking.
Read More About Maria Gunnoe and her fight against MountainTop Removal Mining.
NEW YORK, NY -- In 2008, Massey Energy gave E. Gordon Gee, President of Ohio State University, $219,261 for sitting on the the company's board of directors, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Massey Energy is known for the practice of mountaintop removal coal mining, removing hundreds of feet of mountaintop to get at coal seams, contaminating drinking water supplies and devastating communities.
Dr. Gee also owns 28,191 shares of Massey Energy stock, worth $334,627.17 on 4/17/09,
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