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- An appeal is being filed by the West Virginia Labor History Association over the removal of Blair Mountain from the National Register of Historic Places.
- The Times Herald-Record, of New York's Hudson River Valley, profiled Mat Louis-Rosenberg of Coal River Mountain Watch.
"Mountaintop removal is the worst manmade catastrophe in the nation's history," he said. "It's also an economic catastrophe for West Virginia. The coal industry, while promising prosperity to the state, has devastated communities across the state."
Blankenship was feeling shy:
Blankenship declined comment on the "Rolling Stone" article and on accusations of violating the Clean Water Act. He also declined comment on accusations that mountaintop mining affects the health of the Appalachian people.
- When Don's feeling more talkative, he often says mountaintop removal is necessary to ward off competition from overseas. He might want to look into these guys at Massey Energy, who just signed a deal with Delhi, India-based Jindal Steel & Power for coal projects in India, Mongolia, Australia and the United States.
-The rightwing Charleston Daily Mail tells us that changes for the black lung benefits program that Senator Byrd put in the Senate health care bill are a "job killer."
How do we know?
"Experts" say, according to the Daily Mail - Experts like Steve Roberts of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, who, coincidentally, wanted Byrd to hold the health care bill hostage unless the coal owners' demands were met.
Some fine stenography by the Daily Mail's business editor, George Hohmann.
- And speaking of Daily Mail hacks, just wanted to point out that we're two weeks out and Don Surber has yet to offer even a remotely substantive rebuttal to Ken Ward's post that obliterated the crap Don was inserting into DM editorials.
- Republican Senator James Inhofe has a distinguished career as a total shill for corporate America. Whether its pushing for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or comparing the world's scientific community to the Third Reich, he's worked hard to be the go-to guy for polluters... and He's quite proud of it. ...so it was only a matter of time until he came out solidly in favor of the destruction of the Appalachian Mountains.
There was evidently a protest at the Capitol. Ken Ward will have an article tomorrow. This is their bold.
In a letter dated April 6, 2009, the SHPO alerted the Keeper of the NRHP that there may have been an error in calculating the property owner objections due to this oversight. The State has not petitioned the Keeper for removal of the Blair Mountain Battlefield from the National Register in accordance with 36 CFR 60.15.
Sen. Wells, the Governor can't count. What does that say about the state of education in the state?
Ken Ward, Jr. has been all over the unfolding story of the listing and attempted de-listing of Blair Mountain to the National Register of Historic Places, including Gov. Manchin's "I know nothing" plea.
I fear our state and federal governments may now enter into a protracted turf dispute with the status of Blair Mountain hanging in the balance for who-knows-how-long.
Meanwhile, it sure would be nice to know where our elected officials at the state and federal level stand on the question:
Do you support the listing of Blair Mountain on the National Register of Historic Places?
So, how about it? Any intrepid reporters out there willing to seek out statements on record from our Gov., Reps., and Sens. on this issue?
When Walmart recently announced its intention to build a super-center near the Wilderness Battlefield in Virginia, filmmaker Ken Burns and a host of Pulitzer Prize-winning historians denounced the move for its obvious offense to our national heritage site.
We need that same outrage for another battlefield under assault.
First, imagine if a thin seam of coal was found under the Wilderness Battlefield, or Union Square in Manhattan or the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, and the local governors signaled their intention to work a backdoor scheme to allow an absentee coal company to blow up and then strip mine the historic landmarks, for a handful of non-union jobs, as the rest of the economy sinks.
Now consider this breaking news update today from Ken Ward at the Charleston Gazette in West Virginia: "Manchin administration officials moved this week to have Blair Mountain--site of the landmark 1921 coalfield labor battle--removed from the National Register of Historic Places."
Strangely enough, the state officials "found" some landowner objections that hadn't been considered in the extensive long-time vetting process.
With the ink still drying since the historic Blair Mountain in West Virginia was added to the National Registry with great national applause, after years of debate and research, West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin's haste in conjuring a landowner dispute over the legendary range exposes him to a growing caricature of an out-of-touch politician from last century.
First, Blair Mountain is not simply the site of a famous labor battle in the coal wars, or the place of the largest armed insurrection since the Civil War, when thousands of union coal miners and World War I veterans literally marched and fought to liberate coal camps in southwestern West Virginia held hostage to the whims of ruthless absentee coal companies in 1921.
International Workers' Day Event Highlights Threat to Historic Site
CHARLESTON, WV - On Tuesday, May 1 at 12pm noon, Logan County residents, labor historians and concerned citizens will hold a press conference and rally to support workers' rights and the historic designation of Blair Mountain.
As people around the world celebrate International Workers' Day, local residents will gather at the lower Rotunda of the State Capitol to honor those who fought at Blair Mountain, one of the most important labor historic sites in West Virginia, if not the nation. More than 80 years ago on Blair Mountain, 10,000 coal miners rose up against armed federal troops in defense of their rights to unionize.
Today, another battle is being fought there - the battle to save the historic site. On April 21, the West Virginia Labor History Association (WVLHA) voted unanimously to support preservation of Blair Mountain. With upcoming decisions pending on the fate of Blair Mountain and the rights of the workers, this event will honor miners for their service and remember the historic site.
WHO: Local residents, The WVLHA, community groups and the Sierra Club
WHAT: International Workers' Day celebration of labor and Blair Mountain, including speeches and stories
WHEN: Tuesday, May 1, 2007, 12pm noon
WHERE: Lower Rotunda, WV State Capitol Building, Charleston WV
Great Visuals:
Historic artifacts from Blair Mountain.
Maps showing the battle lines.
Pictures of Bill Blizzard, leader of the miners.
Pictures of Blair Mountain today.
Music from the "When Miners March" CD
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