Author Archives: mlr
“I was scared on the impoundment…”: A Statement from Ricki Draper
Sitting on a slurry impoundment is terrifying. We wore Tyvec suits, respirators, and rubber gloves to protect us from the 2.8 billion gallons of toxic coal slurry which, according to the Sludge Safety project, can cause “intestinal lesions, neuropathy, kidney and liver failure, cancer, high blood pressure, brittle bones, miscarriages and birth defects.” Today, as we confronted Alpha […]
“When the profits of coal extraction are gone…”: A Statement from Heather Doyle
My name is Heather Doyle, and today, with a good friend, I am paddling out onto the massive Shumate coal slurry impoundment beneath the Edwight coal mine, above the Coal River valley. We aim to bring awareness to folks in Charleston and beyond about the dirty and poisonous reality of modern coal production that is ravaging […]
Activists Boat onto Sludge Pond; Confront Gov. Tomblin on Dangers of Coal Sludge
Click here to see more pictures of both actions. UPDATE 4:00 p.m.: Our two boaters were arrested by the State Police but released without bail on trespassing citations! Welcome home Ricki and Heather! UPDATE 1:30 p.m.: The protestor in Charleston has been cut out of the barrel, spilling coal slurry on the steps of the […]
RAMPS Campaigner Glen Collins Sentenced to 60 Days for KXL Action
Update: Glen’s jail sentence ends on May 7 th … But that doesn’t include court costs. Glen owes $518 in court costs, which he needs to pay before he is released. If court costs are not paid before May 7th, Glen will be kept in Smith County Jail for 5 additional days. For every […]
I Refuse to Be Silent: Statement from Joe Solomon
Today a friend and I interrupted a coal conference – one where industry funded scientists are trying to cast doubt on the clear evidence of the ravages of coal. These scientists are worse than a disgrace: their lies and willful misdirection condone the war the coal industry is waging on West Virginia and the people […]
Protesters Disrupt Coal Industry-Funded “Science” Symposium
UPDATE 4/16 10:45 p.m. David Baghdadi had a bail reduction hearing today and was released on his own recognizance. He is out of jail and among friends. Thanks for all your support and to David for standing up to the legal system! UPDATE: Joe and David were charged in Charleston Municipal Court with trespassing, obstruction, and […]
WV Anti-Mountaintop Removal and Fracking Activists Unite for First Joint Capitol Rally Ever
The movement against extreme energy and extraction in Appalachia is uniting like never before. This morning, over a hundred coalfield and gasfield activists and youth allies from across the country stormed the Capitol building in Charleston, WV, and spoke clearly and in one voice against the industries which are poisoning communities. The protest started out in […]
RAMPS Joins Ohio Residents to Shut Down Fracking Waste Storage Facility
New Matamoras OH – Ohio residents and allies from numerous environmental groups including Earth First! have disrupted operations at Greenhunter Water’s hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” waste storage site along the Ohio River in Washington County. Nate Ebert, a 33-year-old Athens County resident and member of Appalachia Resist!, ascended a 30 foot pole anchored to a […]
Disturbing Greg Boyce’s Peace: StopPeabody Activists Kidnapped by Hotel Security
Two activists were arrested for distributing this flier near the apartment of Peabody Energy CEO Greg Boyce on Tuesday inside the Chase Park Plaza hotel and apartment complex. The activists were charged with disturbing the peace and released after eight hours in custody. Earlier that morning, a small group known as the “Chase Park Plaza […]
Citizens Bring the Fight to Peabody; 12 Arrested
An unprecedented coalition of Navajo (Dineh) residents of Black Mesa, AZ, Appalachian residents, St. Louis residents, military veterans and labor unions brought the fight for our future to Peabody’s HQ today. Nearly 100 of us had a raucous rally opened with a prayer by Black Mesa native Don Yellowman, followed by speeches demanding Peabody stop […]
