This news story originally provided by The State Journal

July 24, 2005

Battle at Marsh Fork Elementary Continues

Story by Aaron Mesmer Email | Bio

Massey Energy supporters gathered outside Marsh Fork Elementary School Sunday, saying the company is good for the community.

The demonstration came just days after Massey launched a new ad campaign to rally support for the company.

"This whole river, the biggest part of it is supported by people working at Massey Coal and it's time for the people from Massey to speak up and be heard," said Massey employee Arville Gunnoe.

Supporters and protesters clashed at Marsh Fork and in Boone County last week. Protesters are demanding that Massey close its preparation plant, coal silo, mountaintop removal mine site and coal sludge dam near the school.

"In 1977, there was a law written that says you cannot operate a facility like this within 300 feet of a school and there's a reason for that law," said Julia Bonds, a member of the Coal River Mountain Watch, one of the groups protesting ths site.

Since May, Coal River Mountain Watch and Mountain Justice Summer have said the coal plant is a risk to the children's safety and health. The claim has come under fire from Massey supporters.

"My children have never had any health problems, being sick or anything from anything in the school or outside of the school," said Carolyn Asbury, who has a 10-year-old boy who attends Marsh Fork. "Massey helps support our schools. If it wasn't for Massey, our schools wouldn't be as good as they are today."

Bonds said worries about a sludge dam above Marsh Fork Elementary, despite assurances from the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration. "I don't care how safe that MSHA says it is, or how safe anyone says it is, they cannot guarantee us that this dam will not fail," she said.

The state Department of Environmental Protection recently blocked the construction of a second silo next to the school.

The Raleigh County school board is waiting to hear back from the governor before deciding whether to send Marsh Fork students to a different school.

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