After four days 60 ft up in the air the treesitters, David Aaron Smith, 23, Amber Nitchman, 19 and Eric Blevins, 28 are still going strong. The sleet, fog, mist, and rain are not making things easy – but every time that people have talked to them they sound chipper and steadfast. The sitters plan to endure the discomforts created by Massey security and the weather and hold out for as long as possible to defend Coal River Mountain. This mountain has been a rallying point for clean energy all over the state because of its potential for wind energy.
Since their first night in the trees Massey has been harassing the sitters using sleep deprivation tactics; this is harming the hearing of both the security and the sitters. Security personnel are perpetually shining bright lights and employing the noise-making machines. A few hours ago Eric Blevins took action by calling the state police and reporting a noise violation. Quite soon after he called the noise machines turned off but they have since been turned back on. In a similar vein of harassment, Massey security has tied a rope to a smaller tree next to Amber’s platform. They are pulling and releasing the rope so that the sapling smacks the bottom of her platform, hoping that she will feel unsafe and come down.
Beyond the harassment of the sitters and the miners, Massey is still validating the destruction of the precious Appalachian mountains. In their press release Massey stated, “Opponents of coal who claim Coal River Mountain is the last intact mountain are lying and deliberately spreading this information in a desperate attempt to stop coal miners from working.” We know that this truly is one of the last intact mountaintops in the area. The following video outlines the reality of the situation on Coal River Mountain and the potential for renewable energy instead of coal:
Other information resources:
Our response to Massey’s Press Release:
http://climategroundzero.net/2010/01/response-to-massey-energys-statement-about-tree-sit/
Marfork Coal Company in Violation of Office of Miners’ Health Safety & Training Noise Protocol:
http://climategroundzero.net/2010/01/Marfork-Violation
Clip of Amber’s Voice from the Tree:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLA_fPvzx6k
Call Massey and Demand a Stop to Their Illegal Abuses:
http://climategroundzero.net/2010/01/callmasseyonjan25/?
Update on Arrested United Mountain Defense Volunteers in Tennessee:
http://climategroundzero.net/2010/01/umd/
Why, the mountain just across from it is intact, I can see it from my view across the way. For those whom aren’t lazy and have a little cash to divvy out, just subscribe to Google Earth and see. Oh, btw, if WV is losing it’s forests in such a fashion, how come when I see it on Google Earth it is still the greenest state on the whole east coast? Hey Google is your friendly site, don’t be mad at me, I just looked.
Whatever, buddy…
everbody knows that Google and other Satelite photo programs run old and even winter photos, so enough with the “its so green” nonsense. I look at GIS/Satelite maps all the time, and you are simply being untruthful about what they portray.
the coalfield Appalachians have lost at least over 500 square miles of forest – that’s about 2/3 of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.
and while we are on forests, why do you coal miners think you have more right to wreck that land and take away jobs from loggers? Cause when a logger cuts a tree in the Appalachians there is a good chance it is going to sprout from the stump or its seed is nearby and gonna take advantage of the light. When a strip miner cuts off the top of a mountain, good trees are not going to grow there for a very long time. They will eventually, but not in your lifetime and probably not in your grandchildren’s lifetime.
And I don’t want to hear about your reclamation – I follow the ARRI stuff and know for a fact how few mining companies are adapting that practice and I’ve been on MTR sites with trees (and planted a few) and those trees just don’t grow with the same vigor and vitality. Nor will the forest be the same for a coupla hundred if not thousands of years.
again, why do y’all feel so privileged that you get to take away jobs from loggers and lifeways away from hunters, fishermen, ginseng collectors, mushroom hunters and so on?
WV is not the “greenest” (whatever that means, Progress Miner) — Maine is the most forested state in the entire country with over 90% (18 mil acres) of its land-base covered in forest.
I sincerely appreciate what these people are doing. it feels good to see someone out there doing to dirty work to help protect these precious areas. the sitters have my support! DOWN WITH BIG BUSINESS
I did not say it was amo, I am just saying this site said go to google and look for myself, I did and what i was taught in school is the color is green and WV is greener than the rest. It means I looked, duh. I actually followed the info given here and gave my opinion. You are entitled to yours. Oh and by the way Coal River Mountain is in Raleigh county. Some reports are given it is the last intact mountain in Boone County. I love Maine, Ms. Stone is a nice lady from Maine, she is very informational too, I like that.