Start by telling the the Army Corps of Engineers to eliminate the streamlined permitting process for mountaintop removal coal mining projects.

DEADLINE EXTENDED
Comment Deadline:
September 14, 2009

(4 days left)

Big Coal is freaking out, resorting to desperate measures to try and keep mountaintop removal coal mining alive.

The reason the coal industry is acting so strange becomes clear when one understands that for the past several years, the importance of coal in our national electricity generation has declined at a staggering rate.

The latest government statistics show just how far coal's importance has fallen: in May of 2009, coal provided a mere 42.6% of electricity generation in the United States. For the year to date (January-May 2009), coal produced just 45.4% of our electricity.  Furthermore, wind and solar have never been higher, and are still growing exponentially.

Such trends are promising for those of us who love mountains and who are fighting for a clean energy future for Appalachia and the rest of America.

But no one should expect Big Coal to allow itself to slip into irrelevancy without a massive fight. That's why the coal industry is pouring millions of dollars into PR and lobbying efforts -- to try to distract the public and public officials from coal's declining power.

And that's why we're asking you to redouble your efforts -- to keep the pressure on the coal industry and to help end mountaintop removal coal mining forever.

You can start by telling the the Army Corps of Engineers to eliminate the streamlined permitting process for mountaintop removal coal mining projects. The Corps of Engineers recently extended the public comment period for the rule change by 30 days -- so you still have time to make your voice heard if you haven't done so already.

You can also help keep the pressure on Big Coal by inviting your friends and family members to join you on iLoveMountains.org. Already, more than 37,000 people have joined the effort to end mountaintop removal coal mining. Can you invite just five of your friends today, and help us grow the movement to more than 40,000 online activists?

And if you're an educator or a parent of school age children, check out our new Teacher's resources page, which contains a wealth of curricula and lesson plans about mountaintop removal coal mining for students of all ages. Be sure to share the page with your children's teachers, and ask them to consider incorporating the material as they establish this school year's lesson plans.

Every day, more and more Americans are turning away from coal,because people like you are taking the time to spread the word about the high cost of coal to our nation, our communities, and our environment.

Please -- keep up the great work. It's driving Big Coal mad.

Matt Wasson, iLoveMountains.org

 

P.S.--Please help us spread the word on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

From: "Matt Wasson, iLoveMountains.org" matt.wasson@ilovemountains.org
Subject: The Declining Power of Coal
Date: 25 августа 2009 г. 8:31

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You are commenting on a NOTICES:
Proposed Suspension and Modification of Nationwide Permit 21 (Document ID COE-2009-0032-0001)

GO TO: http://www.ilovemountains.org/army-corps/

 

1. COPY THESE BASIC COMMENTS INTO THE FORM BELOW, THEN ADD YOUR
PERSONAL TOUCH FOR THE GREATEST EFFECT.
YOU CAN TYPE IN THE TEXT BOX AND/OR UPLOAD A FILE.

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I appreciate the Army Corps of Engineers following through on their agreement to end the use of “nationwide 21” permits which allow for streamlined approval of mountaintop removal operations in Appalachia. For decades, mountaintop removal and valleyfills have had a devastating impact on local communities, the economy, and our environment. Using the more stringent “individual” permitting process and allowing increased public comment and community input on mountaintop removal operations is a step in the right direction.

However, we believe the Obama Administration can, and must, do better to protect American citizens in Appalachia. The Administration needs to end mountaintop removal today. No amount of regulation will make it safe, economically beneficial, or environmentally sustainable to blast apart our mountains and dump the toxic waste into our streams.

In their own public notice, the Army Corps of Engineers acknowledges the significant detrimental impacts that mountaintop removal mining and valleyfills are having on Appalachian communities and landscapes. It is inappropriate for the Army Corps of Engineers to continue issuing nationwide 21 permits until this decision is finalized. In order to protect Appalachia and give community members a say in the process, the Army Corps of Engineers should halt the issuance of nationwide 21 permits immediately.

I appreciate the Obama Administration's attention to the American tragedy that is mountaintop removal coal mining. However, the Administration must take action to end mountaintop removal immediately and move Appalachia towards sustainable, long-term, economic development through clean energy and energy efficiency. To continue practicing and permitting mountaintop removal coal mining is a dangerous and economically disastrous proposal for our nation.

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2. Copy paste your letter into the form below that.

    A. As far as I can tell, you will want to send it to
gov agency type: FEDERAL
gov agency: CORPS OF ENGINEERS

    B. You will need to know the name of your Representative in the House.
If you need to find out you can do it here:
http://action.nwlc.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Find_Your_Elected_Officials

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9/11/09 UPDATE ON:
ARMY CORPS: STOP USING A STREAMLINED PERMITTING PROCESS

We have great news!

The Obama Administration has heard you! Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency placed all 79 mountaintop removal permits they were reviewing on temporary reprieve. This represents the biggest step ever taken toward reining in the destruction of the Appalachian Mountains by mountaintop removal coal mining.

The release of a list of 79 permits begins a 14-day countdown in which the EPA regional offices must respond to the EPA headquarters' recommendations. While we applaud the current decision by the EPA, these permits could still be approved.

The EPA's announcement is part of a coordination procedure outlined in a "memorandum of understanding" between the Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of Interior to deal with a backlog of permits held up by litigation over the past few years. The EPA has promised a more stringent and transparent review of all mountaintop removal valley fill permit applications, and as of today they have delivered.

The EPA is requesting public comment during these 14 days and we need to send them the message loud and clear to stand firm. No more mountains or communities should be blasted off the map.

However, the EPA is not currently set up to receive these comments, so we will be sending you an alert early next week, providing the tools you need to thank the EPA and to make sure the regional offices keep these mountains and communities safe from mountaintop removal coal mining.

In the mean time, we have set up a new page on iLoveMountains.org where you can see the location and track of the status of the permits pending before the EPA. You can view the permit map and see videos of nearby communities threatened by mountaintop removal at:

http://ilovemountains.org/epa-permit-list/

Just wanted to share the good news - we'll be back in touch next week.

Have a great weekend!

Matt Wasson
iLoveMountains.org

 

From: "Matt Wasson, iLoveMountains.org" matt.wasson@ilovemountains.org
Subject: Great News!! EPA grants temporary reprieve for 79 mountains
Date: 11 сентября 2009 г. 13:34

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Thanks for your participation.
I will be sure to post any further actions I receive on this issue as soon as they arrive.
I think it would not hurt to add more signatures to this petition while it is still open.

(<~;) Ani