The Climate Ground Zero Ministry of Information recently came into possession of this communication between quasi-military law enforcement agencies. The “Pennsylvania Intelligence Bulletin #131″, published by the PA Department of Homeland Security (PADHS) identifies Climate Ground Zero as a “militant environmentalist organization” dedicated to ending mountaintop removal. We at Climate Ground Zero would like to thank the DHS for this honorable distinction.
militant: adj. – vigorously active and aggressive, especially in support of a cause
environmentalist: n. – any person who advocates or works to protect the air, water, animals, plants, and other natural resources from pollution or its effects
Sharing this honor with us were our longtime friends at Rainforest Action Network, for their work on mountaintop removal financiers UBS and PNC Bank, and all the good people working against Marcellus Shale gas drilling (see Shaleshock Alliance, Finger Lakes Earth First!, Marcellus Earth First! Network), who are apparently so dangerous that even movie showings and township zoning meetings are listed as “dates of interest.”
Climate Ground Zero was recognized for our recent action blockading the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection as well as our action in July shutting down a highwall miner on Coal River Mountain.
The Dept. of Homeland Security clearly has a crack team on this case. They even intercepted a “communication shared among environmental organization” informing them that 2010 would be a “kick ass year” for Climate Ground Zero. This top secret communication is available on Rainforest Action Network’s Understory blog.
The Intelligence Bulletin concludes:
“The DC sit-in and the above-mentioned West Virginia blockade were relatively successful, easily accomplished and only required a minimum of activists. They both may serve as inspiration for similar groups and lone-wolf eco-militant cells seeking to obtain publicity for their respective causes.”
We certainly hope so.
UPDATE, 9.15.10 (09:44): The Climate Ground Zero Ministry of Information found out today that Pennsylvania’s governor Ed Rendell caught wind of this intelligence bulletin and is pissed. Though Rendell is not firing his homeland security director, James Powers, he did order “an end to the $125,000 contract with the Philadelphia-based organization, the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response, that supplied the information,” according to the Associated Press. In an email from Powers to someone responsible for leaking the document, Powers wrote “We want to continue providing this support to the Marcellus Shale Formation natural gas stakeholders while not feeding those groups fomenting dissent against those same companies.” Whatever that means.
Anti-drilling activist and retired US Air Force officer Virginia Cody put it this way:
“The idea that my government thinks that what I’m doing is worthy of anti-terrorism interest goes against everything I stand for and everything I ever stood for.”
God Bless America.
Thank all of you for what you do to save our mountains!