Sludge Safety Project Legislative Update

April 1, 2005

Fact o’ Sludge

Which is the world’s fourth highest dam? It’s the Brushy Fork dam, which holds back BILLIONS of gallons coal sludge impounded by the Marfork Coal company.

At 900', this Massey Energy monstrosity, ranks as the world’s fourth highest dam, just behind the Rogun Dam (1099') and the Nurek Dam (984'), both in Vakhsh, Tajikista ; and Grande Dixence, Dixence, Switzerland (935').

Brushy Fork is the tallest dam in North America, surpassing Oroville Dam, Feather, CA (770') and Hoover Dam on the CO, AZ, NV border (723').

Interestingly, Brushy Fork does not appear in the US Army Corps of Engineers National Inventory of Dams.

Please call your state legislators to tell them you want: 1) The most dangerous impoundments shut down and reclaimed. 2) A ban on new coal sludge impoundments. 3) Coal companies to use alternative methods of coal waste disposal. 4) To know just what chemicals are in coal sludge impoundments.

Please visit www.sludgesafety.org. Click on the “contact your legislators”- tab to follow I think to postcards you can print and send.