On October 15th, you will have a rare opportunity to speak out loudly against the devastating practice of mountaintop removal mining!

The Army Corps of Engineers is considering whether to stop rubber-stamping mountaintop removal operations in Appalachia. For decades, this radical form of mining has had a devastating impact on local communities, the economy, and our environment.

The Army Corps is coming to the heart of Virginia’s coalfields to hold a public hearing on the “Nationwide 21″ Permit (learn more here). The hearing at Mountain Empire Community College in southwest Virginia’s Big Stone Gap – just a couple of miles away from my office – will take place on Thursday, October 15th at 7:00 PM.

Register today to speak out about mountaintop removal in southwest Virginia

The Corps wants to hear directly from those affected, but, even if you’re not from southwest Virginia, I hope you will consider coming and supporting your fellow Virginians who deal with the effects of mountaintop removal daily. We’ll even help you find a ride!

This hearing is not only an opportunity to speak out against mountaintop removal; it’s also a chance for us to share time together, and a chance for those who have not seen mountaintop removal to do so for the first time. We have a whole evening planned -including a tour of a mountaintop removal site and dinner – and we hope you’ll join us!

Register today.

If you cannot make the drive to Big Stone Gap, you can still show your support by holding a prayer vigil where you live. While we encourage you to hold them on the 15th, you could do this any time that week. Click here to find one near you or register to host one.

The Wise Energy for Virginia Coalition is committed to stopping mountaintop removal and promoting alternatives to dirty coal. This public hearing and prayer vigils are part of our ongoing campaign to highlight the consequences of our dependence on dirty coal and promote alternatives such as energy efficiency and renewables.

The responsibility to protect the ancient mountains of southwest Virginia belongs to us all. I hope to see you in Big Stone Gap!

Sincerely,

Kathy Selvage, Wise Energy for Virginia Coalition

PS – If you’re interested in the impacts of coal – from its extraction to its incineration – you won’t want to miss the new documentary Coal Country, a film that takes us inside modern coal mining. Get to know working miners along with activists who are battling coal companies in Appalachia. The Wise Energy for Virginia Coalition is hosting screenings of Coal Country across Virginia. Click here to see the dates and places of the showings.