This article originally provided by The Charleston Gazette

May 25, 2005

Coal mine noise, dust protested

Two arrested for trespassing on Massey Energy property

By Paul J. Nyden
Staff writer

About 75 members and friends of Coal River Mountain Watch held a rally against Massey Energy Tuesday morning at Marsh Fork Elementary School in Sundial, criticizing noise and dust pollution from nearby Massey mines.

The protest was scheduled at the same time as Massey Energy’s annual stockholders meeting, held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. That meeting lasted 9 minutes and 15 seconds.

Protesters then marched about a mile and a half down W.Va. Route 3 to present their grievances to a Massey Energy coal mine.

When two protesters entered company property, they were arrested for trespassing, according to Capt. Scott VanMeter of the West Virginia State Police in Raleigh County.

Bo Green, one of those arrested, said, “It seems to me that every government official in this country has a responsibility to protect American citizens everywhere. Yet, we, the citizens of Coal River Valley, have been abandoned to fend for our children.”

Green commended the State Police “being courteous and calm and treating us with the utmost respect, which is something that no politician or coal company has ever done for the residents of Coal River Valley.”

Massey operates a coal preparation plant, a coal-loading silo and a sludge dam near the elementary school.

Debbie Jarrells, whose granddaughter is a student at Marsh Fork, said, “Our communities and children have been the sacrificial lambs long enough to the coal companies.”

Judy Bonds, a longtime leader of Coal River Mountain Watch, was also arrested. “We embrace and we welcome all our brothers and sisters all over America in this fight to stop the rape of Appalachia,” Bonds said.

VanMeter said Green and Bonds “did not go to jail. They were removed from the scene, cited for trespassing and released.”

On Thursday, the state Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public hearing on Massey’s application to build a second coal silo about 150 feet away from the school. The hearing will begin at 6 p.m. at Marsh Fork Elementary.

During the shareholders meeting in New York, Massey President Donald L. Blankenship said the company is buying new equipment to improve production and is working together with Penn Virginia to build new coal-handling facilities.

Blankenship expressed concerns about railroad service and hiring problems.

“Erratic transportation service prevented us from shipping everything we produced,” he said. “A shortage of experienced miners in Central Appalachia and high levels of turnover continue to have a negative impact on our costs and productivity.”

Massey employs 5,300 people, an increase of almost 900 since the end of 2003. Blankenship said the company is paying increased wages and benefits in an effort to keep workers.

“But despite escalating medical and labor expenses,” he said, “we remain one of the lowest-cost producers in Central Appalachia.”

Blankenship said Massey is having its best financial year since 2000 and remains the “market leader in Central Appalachia and in the U.S. metallurgical coal market. And the value of our [coal] reserves per share of outstanding stock is second to none.”

To contact staff writer Paul J. Nyden, use e-mail or call 348-5164.