New Mountaintop Removal Approved on Coal River Mountain


Dec 27, 2016

In spite of the public health impacts that it will bring, in spite of 73,000 petition signatures opposing it, in spite of the operating company's long record of violations, in spite of that company being accused of fraud by the West Virginia Dept. of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), the WVDEP has approved the Long Ridge #1 mountaintop removal permit on Coal River Mountain. That's 847 acres, 9 valley fills, 13 sediment ponds, 23 sediment ditches, and 35 pollution discharge points. The planned complex will eventually include 117 stream channels totaling over 30 miles and 10 emergent wetlands. Mountaintop removal is not over. We need more help fighting for our communities' health and viability.

 

We've turned out local opposition, we've generated international opposition, and we've provided all the facts that the WVDEP needs to deny this permit. Instead, they've placed Alpha Natural Resources' profits over the health of the people, the protection of the environment, and basic human decency. Please support us as we scale up our opposition to this and the other mountaintop removal permits on Coal River Mountain and everywhere.

The link to the WVDEP's online page for this permit, S300115, is at https://apps.dep.wv.gov/WebApp/_dep/search/Permits/OMR/Permit_details.cfm?permit_id=S300115&dep_office_id=OMR&responsible_party_name=REPUBLIC%20ENERGY%2C%20INC