We Need A Replacement Truck


Feb 14, 2025

Citizens' Enforcement Program coordinator Junior Walk: For over a quarter of a century, we at Coal River Mountain Watch have done everything within our power to stop coal companies from pillaging our region with their surface mining practices. One of the main ways we’ve found to cost these coal operators money is to diligently monitor their activities and find things to bring to the attention of regulatory authorities. Whether these infractions are related to coal companies not following pre-agreed upon reclamation schedules, chemical spills, runoff from the side of a mine site, or dangerous highwalls precariously close to public roads, or many other problems we’ve found. It’s our belief that if coal operators were held to the same standard as your average citizen, they wouldn’t be able to operate in an economically sustainable way.

 

Over the past year we have had quite a bit of success with these tactics; we’ve been able to cost Lexington Coal Company who operates the Twilight surface mine complex in Boone and Raleigh counties of West Virginia over three million dollars in fines alone. That’s in addition to the untold man hours and equipment costs to fix negligent mistakes on their mine site that could possibly endanger the public in many ways.


What’s even more impressive is the fact that we have been able to have this much success in our work with a shoestring budget. A shoestring that’s feeling a little tighter after some poor luck. Our monitoring vehicle, a 2000 Ford Ranger with a whole lot of miles on it, decided to give up the ghost right before Christmas. This has, for the time, put our important work on hold until we can figure out a new transportation situation.


This, my dear reader, is where you could come in. We’re asking for donations for a new, reliable monitoring vehicle. With your help we could be right back out in the woods below these strip mines finding things to get these coal companies in trouble for.

If you know anyone who would like to donate a vehicle, please contact us! Otherwise, if you have the means and you’d like to help out with our efforts to hold these coal companies accountable then feel free to make a tax deductible donation at https://secure.givelively.org/donate/coal-river-mountain-watch/citizens-enforcement-truck

Thank you for your time, and thanks for the support,

-Junior Walk

Coal River Mountain Watch