A podcast dedicated to ending the
environmentally destructive practice of Mountaintop Removal Mining (MTR)
that is devastating the Appalachian Mountains. Featuring a summary of
the best current news items and media pieces focusing on MTR.
The Mountain Top Removal podcast is a very new project. The hope
is to get a "choir" full of voices to speak out against - sing - of the
National Disgrace and Ecological Disaster of Mountain Top Removal.
In time I hope that individuals and organizations contributing audio presentations will host the RSS feed and a podcast page on their respective websites
Many thanks to the Open Journal program of kpft.org as
Houston R.A.N. presents "The War on Appalachia" on 90.1fm Houston and
89.5fm Galveston or kpft.org on the world wide web on July 21st, 2008. Learn a little from guest speakers
Ed Wiley of Pennies of Promise and Chuck Nelson and Maria Gunnoe of
Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition We will be talking about the hidden war on the people and
mountains of Appalachia.
An introduction to the horrific practice of Mountaintop Removal Mining
that is destroying our beautiful Appalachian Mountains - what it is, the
damage it is doing, and how you can help stop it before it's too late.
Barbara Strangfeld is volunteer for I Love Mountains and Appalachian
Voices. She is first to say that her position is only that of a
concerned citizen. Listen to her introduction to Mountaintop Removal
Mining. She would like to fully credit the I Love
Mountains and Appalachian Voices organizations for the
material she uses in her presentation.
Many many thanks to the group Magpie (Greg Artzner & Terry Leonino) for their
wonderful song and permission to use it for the Mountain Top Removal
podcast. Please visit their website (http://www.magpiemusic.com/) for more great music on
the Environment and Political Issues.
Chorus:
With their draglines and their big trucks they take more coal each day
But it's underneath our mountains so they just blast them away
For purple mountain majesty, once our nation's soul
Now is raped and pillaged by the barons of king coal
Back in these hills and hollows, hidden from your view.
Is the worst destruction of the earth that anyone could do:
Blasting off the mountaintops for the coal that lies below;
Killing every living thing where now black waters flow.
My family has lived here a hundred years and more;
This mountaintop is all that's left of what we had before.
Now just look around you and tell me what you see,
Death and desolation where living forests used to be (chorus)
Massey tried to drive me out by terror and by fear,
They've shot and burned and threatened everything that I hold dear.
This fight has been so fierce it tore my family apart,
But how could I just walk away? This land, it is my heart.
Down along Marsh Fork Creek is our children's school
In the shadow of Massey's toxic black impoundment pool.
Now the kids who learn and play there daily do complain
Of every kind of sickness that no one will explain. (chorus)
So tell me now who is to blame, who shakes king coal's hand?
Who fails to protect us, and who sells out our land?
It's greedy politicians at the company's beck and call,
From the judges up to Byrd and Bush, I will blame them all.
So tell your friends and family, those who listen and will hear,
Help stop this devastation 'fore these mountains disappear.
For you who hear my story, it's time to take a stand
For purple mountain majesty, for the people and the land (chorus)
words and music by Greg Artzner & Terry Leonino 27 April 2006
2007 SURGE Conference: Mary Anne Hitt, Keynote Address
The eighth annual Students United for a
Responsible Global Environment (SURGE) Conference was held at Duke
University on March 30 - April 1, 2007. The conference
focused on a variety of environmental, social justice and economic justice
issues. The Friday evening kickoff featured the Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University, Dr. William Schlesinger introducing keynote speaker Mary Anne Hitt
of Appalachian Voices at the Love Auditorium.
Mountain Voices works to preserve and protect the environment, including
the natural beauty, abundant resources, quality of life and cultural
heritage of our communities. They achieve their goals by working with local
governments, developers, organizations and individuals to encourage
responsible and sustainable development that is in the best interest of
citizens, visitors, and future generations.
Developer Threatens Resident with Lawsuit - WLOS Newscast - 2-07
UPDATE: Beth Woody did not succumb to the developers threat and as of 3/28/07 has not heard a word form him.
A developer's unbridled lust for gold takes some of the peace and
tranquility out of a retired couple's golden years. The newly adopted
Storm Water Ordinance by Buncombe County comes too late for this couple
and many more citizens like them. The court system is our best hope for
now. Citizens should rally in support of each lawsuit against a
developer. Only when predatory developers realize that citizens are not
afraid to use the court system and that ill-gotten gains are at risk
will this problem end. This video requires Quicktime. For a free
download of QuickTime 7 for Windows, go to
www.apple.com/quicktime/win.html.
Mountain Top Removal - Videos
The following videos are from an assortment of people and posted on YouTube. Please view each video and credit each author accordingly:
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