Reveals the true social and environmental costs of coal power and looks…
Razing Appalachia
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- Transcript
In the misty folds of the Appalachian mountains lies Pigeonroost Hollow, in Blair, West Virginia. With its narrow creek and crawdads, its wild ginseng and raccoons, Pigeonroost looks as it might have a century ago -- a woody haven tucked away from time and technology. But for how long? And at what price?
In May 1998, Arch Coal, Inc. announced it would expand its Dal-Tex strip mine just above the small town of Blair. But lifetime residents said too many had already been bought out or chased away by the giant mine, and that Arch Coal's planned expansion was the final threat to their once-tranquil way of life. Forty families -- where there were once 300 -- stayed in Blair.
RAZING APPALACHIA is the story of their remarkable fight -- against the second-largest coal company in America, against the know-nothing state political leaders and, unhappily, against the 400 union miners whose jobs were on the line.
'Without wielding a heavy hand, Sasha Waters's purpose...is conveyed clearly: for viewers to understand what it means to have one's homeplace on the line...and what it means to have a community divided by the threat of removal of either courting sites, cemeteries, and homes, or the best-paying jobs in the region... A point to be appreciated about this film is that it does not pit the landholders against the miners, but instead shows many ways that they constitute the same community being presented with a dilemma through the logic of global capitalist development... Razing Appalachia shows how the contradiction between the preservation of 'place' as a site for the construction of community, memory, and livelihood and the permanent alteration of that place through extractive industries - a theme with much resonance - plays out in Blair, West Virginia... the issues discussed in this film link the workers and residents of Pigeonroost Hollow with those in many other places.' Ann Kingsolver, Univ. of South Carolina for Anthropology of Work Review
'A competent and even-handed look at yet another frontier where corporate interests are wreaking havoc on U.S. natural resources...Sasha Waters takes care to let all sides be heard, though inevitably most viewers will react strongest to the appalling sight of once-beautiful, now permanently 'decapitated' Appalachian hills.' Variety
'Quietly heartbreaking...' Mother Jones
'A good example of what makes public TV valuable...the product of an individual vision...unlikely to air anywhere else.' The New Yorker
'Vividly demonstrates that environmental regulatory and land use issues can be both highly complex and multi-dimensional. This splendidly objective film illustrates that dominant issues driving many modern environmental disputes tend to be more gray than either black or white.' Stuart Lieberman, Esq., Partner, Lieberman and Blecher--specializing in environmental law
'Highly Recommended...A serious, balanced documentary about an urgent issue affecting parts of Appalachia, mountaintop removal...Multiple viewpoints, including miners, mine owners, environmentalists and residents, are objectively presented in this documentary...as the film progresses, the well integrated, structured framework emerges...From the heart of Appalachia, I highly recommend this interesting, timely and important film.' Educational Media Reviews Online, Charles Burkart, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
'Conveys the complexity of the issue...This powerful document conveys the emotional impact this fight has had on all concerned. Photography, sound, and editing are well done, and the variety of individuals interviewed contributes to the successful picture of a community divided by these issues. Highly recommended' Library Journal
'Giv[es] voice to representatives of different sides of a bitter and agonizing debate...highly successful at simultaneously engaging the senses...the emotions, and the intellect. I strongly recommend [Razing Appalachia] for the ethnographic glimpse of this segment of Americana and for the discussion it will stimulate.' Jim Weil, Anthropology of Work Review
'Offers an in-depth look at the turbulent history of the region...It is impossible not to get angry at the absence of interest in Washington for bringing jobs, educational opportunities and economic diversity to Appalachia.' Phil Hall, Film Threat
Citation
Main credits
Waters, Sasha (film director)
Waters, Sasha (film producer)
Waters, Sasha (editor of moving image work)
Other credits
Camera, Ted Bourne [and 4 others].
Distributor subjects
American Studies; Anthropology; Business Practices; Economics; Energy; Environment; Environmental Justice; Geography; Humanities; Local Economies; Mining; Natural Resources; Pollution; Science, Technology, Society; Sociology; Toxic ChemicalsKeywords
mountaintop removal, coal mining, West Virginia, Blair, ; Arch Coal, Dal-Tex, strip mining; "Razing Appalachia"; Bullfrog Films
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(bullfrog croaking)
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(soft poignant string music)
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He asked me what piece of property I wanted
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when I was 11 years old, and I said, "The old home place."
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He said, "Son, that's yours."
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I raised four boys and two girls who hunted, fished.
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In fact, my grandchildrens picked it up now.
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They go with me.
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They get down and they find crawdads
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to fish with outta this creek,
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and this coal company is gonna destroy it.
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I don't want it, because this is my home.
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(children chattering)
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and you can put your hand up,
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'cause the rocks are coming at you.
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(explosion blasting)
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"Don't mine it in West Virginia,"
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and tell me you're not trying to take the jobs
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of every single coal miner in the United States of America.
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And we're here today to say, no, no, hell no.
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(crowd cheering)
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♪ I have dreamed on this mountain ♪
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♪ Since first I was my mother's daughter ♪
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♪ And you can't just take my dreams away ♪
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♪ Not with me watching ♪
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♪ You may drive that machine ♪
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♪ I was born a great big woman ♪
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♪ And you can't just take my dreams away ♪
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♪ This old mountain's raised by many daughters ♪
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♪ Some die young some of us are still living ♪
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♪ But if you come here to take my mountain ♪
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♪ Well we ain't gonna here to give it ♪
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♪ And I have dreamed on this mountain ♪
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♪ Since first I was my mother's daughter ♪
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♪ And you can't just take my dreams away ♪
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♪ Not with me watching ♪
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♪ Oh you can't just take my dreams away ♪
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♪ Without me fighting ♪
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♪ No you can't just take my dreams away ♪
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(crowd cheering)
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(train roaring)
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then the last ton of coal ever mined,
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I want it to be in Logan county, West Virginia.
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If mining coal is killing crawdads,
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then I want the last one to belly up
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at Blair, West Virginia.
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If I got that many speeding tickets,
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man, I wouldn't own a car.
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by the thousands of tons every day, how?
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You said Blair's a problem.
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Why don't you shut 'em down til they fix the problem,
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or back off, make 'em back off."
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"Well, do you know what you're asking us to do?
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Do you know how much money, you know,
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is involved if we shut them down?"
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And I was like, "Do you know?"
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I'm the taxpayer,
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you're Department of Environmental Protection.
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You're not protecting me.
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You see what's going on up there,
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and you're giving violations.
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That means they're violating the law and regulation."
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The mines set us against the miners and against the people-
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mad enough to fight for our homes,
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the miners are gonna get mad enough
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to fight for their jobs, they're gonna walk off scot free,
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just like they've done for years.
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(women chattering)
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(machinery humming)
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(equipment beeping)
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was a town at war with itself over coal.
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At stake was the largest strip mining permit
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ever requested in West Virginia.
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was a Hobet permit, Arch Coal.
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And it's the largest permit, I believe,
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that there has been an application for.
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And this is the Mountain State,
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and it's a shame to have all of our mountains leveled
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and all of our streams filled.
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And it's virtually impossible to live in the middle
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of these kinds of operations,
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and I think the good evidence of that
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is that in Pigeonroost Hollow, the coal company has bought
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every resident out, as far as I know,
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except for the weeklies.
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(birds twittering)
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about where she was born and raised.
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My mother was born and raised there.
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There was a small cemetery there,
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and when they started to strip it,
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they had just took the bulldozer and went through graves,
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just bulldozed them up.
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Those were my ancestors, and now I don't a home place
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of my mother's, you know.
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I get homesick, I think about that, you know a lot,
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and it bothers me, it bothers me a lot.
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So I said if there was way possible that I can help
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James save his here, I will.
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(lively bluegrass music)
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the permit must be approved by state and federal regulators.
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(lively bluegrass music continues)
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with the law and regulations.
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We feel confident that this permit will be issued
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because of the high standards that we operate under.
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We believe ourselves to be stewards of the land,
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to return the land to a productive post-mining land use.
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And so we have a confidence
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that this permit is going to be issued.
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If the permit is not issued, this operation,
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this large-scale operation will over time shut down,
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and the over 350 miners at that operation
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will be without jobs and be laid off.
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For those men and women who, and their families,
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who depend upon that mine, it will have tragic effects.
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(truck humming)
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and they have pressed the state
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Division of Environmental Protection
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and its predecessors over the last 15 or 20 years
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about mountaintop removal mining.
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Incrementally, slowly but surely, the regulatory agencies
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have caved in to the coal industry,
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who just wants to make more money, that's understandable.
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And the regulatory agency's job is to say no.
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It doesn't even have Kawana County on it.
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It's just got Boone County and Logan County,
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and it's like looking at a coal miner's lungs.
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It's dust, it's silicosis to the land.
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♪ To those who know no better ♪
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♪ And the ones that do not care ♪
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♪ I'll take this means of telling you ♪
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♪ What a miner has to bear ♪
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♪ Your servant fires the furnace ♪
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♪ Smoke and blazes roar ♪
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♪ Stop and think who's suffered ♪
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♪ For that little lump of coal ♪
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♪ Oh he gets up in the morning ♪
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♪ He's in the Land of Nod ♪
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♪ And at the family altar ♪
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♪ He will kneel and ask his God ♪
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♪ For to care for and protect him from danger underground ♪
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♪ To come back in the evening to his family safe and sound ♪
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is for West Virginia, but yet some of the counties
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in West Virginia that has the largest amount of mining
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is some of the poorest.
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And even though you may say they pay a lot of taxes,
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then I say to you, where's the tax money going?
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And why is it the, you know, county's not benefiting.
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without sufficient attention to the protection
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of the quality of water, that it would be in violation
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of the Federal Clean Water Act.
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they don't know what poverty is until it's gone.
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And then they'll really see poverty then.
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(bicycle wheels clicking)
(spare string music)
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I've been cheating on her for the last 14 years.
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I did, I told her, I said, "Yeah, I've been cheating on you
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with the prettiest woman I know."
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My wife asked me who it was, you know?
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I said, "Well, her name is Kayford Mountain."
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I said, "If the mountains was a woman,
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my wife was in trouble." (chuckling)
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This is where I was born.
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This is where I lived right here.
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Raised 18 kids in a two-room house, right here.
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owns 50 acres on Kayford Mountain,
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including a 200-year-old family cemetery.
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Theirs is one of the few privately-owned properties
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in Southern West Virginia, where most of the land
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is owned by corporations and leased to coal companies.
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was intending to move the cemetery.
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So I had to get somebody to prove that we owned it.
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So they traced this land back to where we got it
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through the Civil War Act.
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When the soldiers served in the war,
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they got allotted land, okay?
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My grandparent, my great-grandfather married a Miss Stover,
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you know, from another ridge over here,
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and she got a dowry of 500 acres, and this was it.
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lie beneath and around the Gibson property,
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and the surrounding mountains have been mined
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for more than a decade.
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The surface has changed that much.
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Unless we try to organize and keep organizing,
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they'll have shoot me off of here.
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the mist burns off so they can see.
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(group chattering)
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to slow down the rapid growth
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of mountaintop mining in Appalachia.
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you know, to investigate the blasting, you know.
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Anyway, they were going to check the blasting records
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of the coal company, and that's how they were
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going to determine if there was excessive blasting.
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And I said, "That's like going out to your hen house,
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you know, and your hens are all dead.
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And the fox is there licking his lips,
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and you look at him and say, 'Did you eat my chickens?'
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And he says, 'No'."
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You know I mean, how're you gonna judge
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by looking at their records?
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You don't go to the people that are doing it
233
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and look at their records, and see if there's a problem.
234
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They're letting them get away with it.
235
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They're being supported in breaking the law.
236
00:12:50.335 --> 00:12:51.380
237
00:12:51.380 --> 00:12:53.640
there is so much coal coming out here,
238
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people are becoming millionaire.
239
00:12:55.860 --> 00:12:59.270
In Alaska, ewen all the oil started coming out,
240
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they set up a fund.
241
00:13:01.230 --> 00:13:05.480
242
00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:08.660
and now if you are a citizen of Alaska, you get a check.
243
00:13:08.660 --> 00:13:10.943
244
00:13:17.420 --> 00:13:22.253 line:15%
245
00:13:23.260 --> 00:13:25.810 line:15%
The coal companies today are not only greedy,
246
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they're ruthless in the way they treat the people.
247
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They're creating problems that the average person's
248
00:13:32.890 --> 00:13:35.223
just not gonna be able to deal with.
249
00:13:37.410 --> 00:13:39.430
250
00:13:39.430 --> 00:13:41.480
he put the foundation blocks under it,
251
00:13:41.480 --> 00:13:42.630
him and my brother did.
252
00:13:44.712 --> 00:13:47.643
And they blast 'em out, he's done set 'em back twice,
253
00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:50.513
and over here.
254
00:13:56.520 --> 00:13:57.820
From right there to there.
255
00:14:03.030 --> 00:14:05.080
And they've been, I mean, they've just been getting closer
256
00:14:05.080 --> 00:14:06.350
and now they're right back in,
257
00:14:06.350 --> 00:14:08.350
smack dab behind this house now.
258
00:14:08.350 --> 00:14:11.780
And it's, I'm telling you, it's getting worse all the time.
259
00:14:15.460 --> 00:14:17.640
260
00:14:17.640 --> 00:14:20.110
from President Harry Truman.
261
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The first week I went to work for him, why he said,
262
00:14:23.347 --> 00:14:25.660
"The rich and the powerful people in this country
263
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have their own lobbyists, their own pressure groups,
264
00:14:29.020 --> 00:14:31.160
their own lawyers and their own accountants
265
00:14:31.160 --> 00:14:34.040
working for them full time, and it's the job
266
00:14:34.040 --> 00:14:36.270
of the President of the United States
267
00:14:36.270 --> 00:14:39.540
and every public official to stand up and fight
268
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for those people that are otherwise unrepresented."
269
00:14:42.585 --> 00:14:45.020
270
00:14:45.020 --> 00:14:47.035
271
00:14:47.035 --> 00:14:50.090
Justice in the coalfields, justice in the coalfields.
272
00:14:50.090 --> 00:14:52.540
273
00:14:52.540 --> 00:14:55.220
some of which are not West Virginians,
274
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who believe we should not burn coal.
275
00:14:57.560 --> 00:15:01.340
And I'm concerned that these people are now infiltrating
276
00:15:01.340 --> 00:15:04.270
a community like Blair, West Virginia,
277
00:15:04.270 --> 00:15:06.660
where the issue is blasting.
278
00:15:06.660 --> 00:15:09.810
I just don't believe anybody at Blair, West Virginia
279
00:15:09.810 --> 00:15:13.100
wants to shut down Dal-Tex because we're destroying
280
00:15:13.100 --> 00:15:16.250
the ozone layer, or we're killing crawdads.
281
00:15:16.250 --> 00:15:18.991
282
00:15:18.991 --> 00:15:22.520
and go out of their homes away from being a housewife
283
00:15:22.520 --> 00:15:24.960
or being whatever they happen to be in life
284
00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:28.000
and spend this many hours trying to get
285
00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:30.300
somebody to hear them, you just don't do that.
286
00:15:30.300 --> 00:15:31.500
If you don't have a problem,
287
00:15:31.500 --> 00:15:33.700
you go on with your life from day to day.
288
00:15:33.700 --> 00:15:35.270
But see, now this has become our life
289
00:15:35.270 --> 00:15:37.743
because we have to protect what we've got.
290
00:15:38.786 --> 00:15:42.783
♪ This land is your land ♪
291
00:15:42.783 --> 00:15:44.542
♪ This land is my land ♪
292
00:15:44.542 --> 00:15:48.960
♪ From West Virginia to the New York island ♪
293
00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:53.740
♪ From the Redwood Forest to our rugged mountain ♪
294
00:15:53.740 --> 00:15:58.740
♪ This land was made for you and me ♪
295
00:15:58.858 --> 00:16:03.191
♪ This land was made for you and me ♪
296
00:16:06.020 --> 00:16:07.609
297
00:16:07.609 --> 00:16:10.440
the most recent gathering this past Saturday
298
00:16:10.440 --> 00:16:11.750
at the state capital.
299
00:16:11.750 --> 00:16:13.710
But the industry is countering.
300
00:16:13.710 --> 00:16:15.380
Arch Coal is running ads to bring
301
00:16:15.380 --> 00:16:17.810
a different perspective to the issue.
302
00:16:17.810 --> 00:16:19.260
303
00:16:19.260 --> 00:16:22.153
to make you kinda understand this, come and take a look.
304
00:16:23.220 --> 00:16:25.813
Look at it before, and look at it after.
305
00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:31.232
306
00:16:31.232 --> 00:16:36.232 line:15%
to understand what we do, why we do it, how we do it,
307
00:16:36.270 --> 00:16:38.621 line:15%
most folks feel a lot better about that.
308
00:16:38.621 --> 00:16:41.430
And it's just been kind of a practice
309
00:16:41.430 --> 00:16:44.483
to set up these public tours.
310
00:16:47.830 --> 00:16:49.840
My name is Larry Emerson.
311
00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:54.306
I am a Director of Environmental Performance for Arch Coal,
312
00:16:54.306 --> 00:16:55.183
the parent company of Hobet Mining.
313
00:16:56.228 --> 00:16:58.190
I've got a question about how many people
314
00:16:58.190 --> 00:17:00.680
operate the dragline at any moment.
315
00:17:00.680 --> 00:17:03.773
There is basically one operator that runs it.
316
00:17:07.340 --> 00:17:10.650
He can operate that machine to turn it, to raise a bucket,
317
00:17:10.650 --> 00:17:12.860
to lower the bucket, to swing it.
318
00:17:12.860 --> 00:17:14.903
All that is done by one man.
319
00:17:19.840 --> 00:17:22.240
What I have found in my experience is
320
00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:25.740
that the vast majority of folks who are,
321
00:17:25.740 --> 00:17:27.310
just don't know about coal mining
322
00:17:27.310 --> 00:17:30.203
and particularly the kind of mining we do now,
323
00:17:31.180 --> 00:17:33.500
all they know is what they read or what they see,
324
00:17:33.500 --> 00:17:35.350
or perceptions in a lot of cases
325
00:17:35.350 --> 00:17:37.730
from back in the '60s and '70s,
326
00:17:37.730 --> 00:17:40.922
when they knew coal mining back in those days.
327
00:17:40.922 --> 00:17:44.005
(machinery humming)
328
00:17:45.448 --> 00:17:47.600
329
00:17:47.600 --> 00:17:49.940
you know, multiple seam, large scale mining.
330
00:17:49.940 --> 00:17:51.950
I mean, what they're doing is they cut down, you know,
331
00:17:51.950 --> 00:17:56.950
a hardwood forest and scrape all the top soil off,
332
00:17:59.500 --> 00:18:03.750
bury the top soil in the valley fills,
333
00:18:03.750 --> 00:18:05.770
and then put some crushed shale on top
334
00:18:05.770 --> 00:18:07.237
and plant some grass on it.
335
00:18:07.237 --> 00:18:09.538
And that grows in very thick and heavy,
336
00:18:09.538 --> 00:18:12.524
but you know, trees don't grow there, they don't come back.
337
00:18:12.524 --> 00:18:13.530
You don't get the nice, you know,
338
00:18:13.530 --> 00:18:15.707
hardwood forest coming back.
339
00:18:15.707 --> 00:18:18.707
(insects chirping)
340
00:18:21.448 --> 00:18:22.568
341
00:18:22.568 --> 00:18:25.170 line:15%
Pine trees will grow real good on this land,
342
00:18:25.170 --> 00:18:27.570 line:15%
and actually hardwood will grow good on it.
343
00:18:27.570 --> 00:18:28.750 line:15%
We walk the ground in,
344
00:18:28.750 --> 00:18:30.300 line:15%
I'll show you when we get over there,
345
00:18:30.300 --> 00:18:32.290 line:15%
We take a 'dozer and just walk it back and forth
346
00:18:32.290 --> 00:18:35.230
up and down the hill with its tracks, to walk the ground in,
347
00:18:35.230 --> 00:18:38.100
to sow the grass til we don't have loose dirt.
348
00:18:38.100 --> 00:18:40.850
If they tell me if we wouldn't walk the ground in,
349
00:18:40.850 --> 00:18:44.610
that the hardwood trees would grow faster and better here
350
00:18:44.610 --> 00:18:46.943
then in the natural habitat before we came in.
351
00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:51.000
But you have to put up with the erosion if you try that.
352
00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:53.800
So to do away with the erosion,
353
00:18:53.800 --> 00:18:55.280
they walk it in and get the grass,
354
00:18:55.280 --> 00:18:57.156
well right there, you see a pine tree right there.
355
00:18:57.156 --> 00:18:58.550
There's a pine tree growing,
356
00:18:58.550 --> 00:19:00.900
and I don't think we planted that thing either.
357
00:19:01.966 --> 00:19:04.966
(insects chirping)
358
00:19:15.850 --> 00:19:19.090 line:15%
359
00:19:20.430 --> 00:19:25.430 line:15%
in a coal company house, and I've seen a lot of changes,
360
00:19:27.330 --> 00:19:29.249
a lot of changes.
361
00:19:29.249 --> 00:19:34.147
But believe it or not, not that many changes in the people.
362
00:19:35.420 --> 00:19:38.803
The coal company still holds people hostage.
363
00:19:39.670 --> 00:19:42.280
You know, the coal company for years
364
00:19:42.280 --> 00:19:47.280
furnished their housing, and you had the coal company store.
365
00:19:47.650 --> 00:19:49.580
Men didn't even draw paydays
366
00:19:49.580 --> 00:19:52.070
because they owed the company rent.
367
00:19:52.070 --> 00:19:57.070
So they were held hostage then, but they still are,
368
00:19:57.160 --> 00:19:58.713
because they're so powerful.
369
00:19:59.720 --> 00:20:01.440
And they feel like that we're just
370
00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:04.290
a bunch of dumb hillbillies.
371
00:20:04.290 --> 00:20:07.843
They think that we're barefoot and pregnant, and we're not.
372
00:20:09.872 --> 00:20:12.455
We're not all dumb hillbillies,
373
00:20:13.990 --> 00:20:17.796
and even if you have a dumb hillbilly,
374
00:20:17.796 --> 00:20:19.960
they know what's right and what's wrong
375
00:20:19.960 --> 00:20:21.897
as far as their land is concerned.
376
00:20:22.934 --> 00:20:27.684
(gentle poignant acoustic string music)
377
00:20:42.110 --> 00:20:45.713
378
00:20:47.810 --> 00:20:50.350
And I mean, that was from 6:00 in the morning
379
00:20:51.330 --> 00:20:56.330
until 7:00 at night, I worked seven days a week.
380
00:20:57.290 --> 00:21:01.473
Rock dust, just busted myself is what I done.
381
00:21:08.370 --> 00:21:10.167
I've lived a good life though.
382
00:21:11.267 --> 00:21:16.267
♪ I used to be a drill man down at old Farley ♪
383
00:21:18.945 --> 00:21:22.923
♪ Drilling through slate and sand rock ♪
384
00:21:22.923 --> 00:21:27.403
♪ Til it got the best of me ♪
385
00:21:27.403 --> 00:21:31.785
♪ The dust has almost killed me ♪
386
00:21:31.785 --> 00:21:35.663
♪ It's turned me out in the rain ♪
387
00:21:35.663 --> 00:21:40.307
♪ The dust has settled on my lungs ♪
388
00:21:40.307 --> 00:21:45.027
♪ And causes me constant pain ♪
389
00:21:45.027 --> 00:21:46.667
♪ I can hear my hammer ♪
390
00:21:46.667 --> 00:21:50.403
391
00:21:51.447 --> 00:21:54.587
And my dad would usually leave the house
392
00:21:54.587 --> 00:21:58.450
about 4:30 in the morning, and he would come to the bed
393
00:21:58.450 --> 00:22:00.747
and kiss each child before he went to work
394
00:22:00.747 --> 00:22:03.470
because mining was so dangerous
395
00:22:03.470 --> 00:22:06.122
that this was just a common practice in families.
396
00:22:06.122 --> 00:22:09.730
The man of the family didn't know if he was gonna make it
397
00:22:09.730 --> 00:22:11.490
out of the mind that day or not.
398
00:22:11.490 --> 00:22:14.143
So that was his way of saying goodbye to his family.
399
00:22:15.380 --> 00:22:20.380
And the other memory is walking to meet my dad
400
00:22:20.410 --> 00:22:22.363
when he would be coming home from work.
401
00:22:23.630 --> 00:22:26.140
If my mom woulda happened to have put
402
00:22:26.140 --> 00:22:29.420
what they called nickel cakes back then in his lunch,
403
00:22:29.420 --> 00:22:32.120
was anything special, he wouldn't eat it.
404
00:22:32.120 --> 00:22:33.870
He'd bring it home to the children.
405
00:22:40.508 --> 00:22:44.341
(soft gentle poignant music)
406
00:22:59.981 --> 00:23:02.314
407
00:23:04.065 --> 00:23:06.040
but Blair is just about no more.
408
00:23:06.040 --> 00:23:09.817
Where there was once 400 homes, it's down to 70 now.
409
00:23:13.053 --> 00:23:13.886
410
00:23:13.886 --> 00:23:14.930
right over there on Blair Mountain?
411
00:23:14.930 --> 00:23:16.747
412
00:23:16.747 --> 00:23:19.272
that's where the union was borned in 19,
413
00:23:19.272 --> 00:23:22.935
They had, the Battle of Blair Mountain was 1921,
414
00:23:22.935 --> 00:23:26.102
1931, '32, the union was born from it.
415
00:23:29.360 --> 00:23:31.850
416
00:23:31.850 --> 00:23:34.453
is all but forgotten outside of Appalachia.
417
00:23:36.350 --> 00:23:38.880
But back in August, 1921,
418
00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:41.673
the Battle of Blair Mountain was national news.
419
00:23:43.660 --> 00:23:46.500
420
00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:51.500
was in Logan County. and this was part of the reason
421
00:23:51.580 --> 00:23:53.250
that the men were marching.
422
00:23:53.250 --> 00:23:56.113
They were trying to organize Logan County.
423
00:23:57.560 --> 00:24:00.643
The men gathered, began together at Marmet,
424
00:24:02.010 --> 00:24:05.860
and to identify the union members,
425
00:24:05.860 --> 00:24:09.093
they wore red bandana handkerchiefs around their necks.
426
00:24:10.090 --> 00:24:14.440
And then they picked up more union men
427
00:24:14.440 --> 00:24:18.513
as they marched and went along to Blair Mountain.
428
00:24:20.183 --> 00:24:23.382
(shoes clicking)
429
00:24:23.382 --> 00:24:25.430
430
00:24:25.430 --> 00:24:28.170
431
00:24:28.170 --> 00:24:32.308
to stop the insurrection of 6,000 armed miners.
432
00:24:32.308 --> 00:24:37.308
(shoes clicking)
433
00:24:37.680 --> 00:24:39.593
434
00:24:40.683 --> 00:24:45.510
I remember hearing the guns and getting word
435
00:24:46.780 --> 00:24:51.570 line:15%
that they were coming down in Blair to fight,
436
00:24:51.570 --> 00:24:54.863 line:15%
and all Blair came up the holler here, just right up here.
437
00:24:54.863 --> 00:24:56.780
And I know how scared I was of them.
438
00:24:56.780 --> 00:24:59.763
I was small. (laughing)
439
00:25:00.630 --> 00:25:03.743
I remember my mother cooking for the miners,
440
00:25:04.760 --> 00:25:07.629
my dad taking it out in the mountains to them.
441
00:25:07.629 --> 00:25:10.629
(gunfire blasting)
442
00:25:25.261 --> 00:25:29.490
443
00:25:29.490 --> 00:25:31.590
mine war on Blair Mountain.
444
00:25:31.590 --> 00:25:36.590
And this is John L. Lewis, their leader,
445
00:25:37.030 --> 00:25:41.400
and this right back here in the back is my dad,
446
00:25:41.400 --> 00:25:46.400
and they they fought in the war on Blair Mountain.
447
00:25:49.990 --> 00:25:53.080
To me, it's the most historic site we have in the state
448
00:25:54.170 --> 00:25:56.780
because that's the only time
449
00:25:57.650 --> 00:25:59.810
within the boundaries of the United States,
450
00:25:59.810 --> 00:26:01.600
that bombs were dropped in this country.
451
00:26:01.600 --> 00:26:04.973
It was on Blair Mountain by our government.
452
00:26:05.932 --> 00:26:10.932
(airplane buzzing)
(bombs bursting)
453
00:26:17.620 --> 00:26:19.670
454
00:26:19.670 --> 00:26:23.233
the warring miners surrendered on Labor Day, 1921.
455
00:26:24.150 --> 00:26:26.350
And although the Battle of Blair Mountain
456
00:26:26.350 --> 00:26:28.870
is often referred to as the birth of the union
457
00:26:28.870 --> 00:26:32.970
in southern West Virginia, it would in fact be 12 long years
458
00:26:32.970 --> 00:26:35.833
before the Logan County coalfields were organized.
459
00:26:36.880 --> 00:26:39.427
460
00:26:39.427 --> 00:26:42.670
that that memory of them walking up the mountain
461
00:26:42.670 --> 00:26:44.500
would never be destroyed, it would always be
462
00:26:44.500 --> 00:26:46.480
in the hearts of the union workers.
463
00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:51.480
Because I really do believe that without the union workers,
464
00:26:52.080 --> 00:26:55.470
union and non-union workers would have a lot harder
465
00:26:55.470 --> 00:26:58.073
conditions to live in and to work in.
466
00:26:59.693 --> 00:27:03.424
♪ Don't forget me little darling ♪
467
00:27:03.424 --> 00:27:07.085
♪ When they lay me down to rest ♪
468
00:27:07.085 --> 00:27:12.085
♪ Tell my brothers all these loving words I say ♪
469
00:27:13.896 --> 00:27:16.445
♪ Let the flowers be forgotten ♪
470
00:27:16.445 --> 00:27:19.579
♪ Sprinkle coal dust on my grave ♪
471
00:27:19.579 --> 00:27:23.662
♪ And remember it's all the UMWA ♪
472
00:27:27.050 --> 00:27:28.120
473
00:27:28.120 --> 00:27:31.020
of those early union soldiers are fighting a new battle
474
00:27:31.020 --> 00:27:32.620
in the shadow of Blair Mountain.
475
00:27:33.470 --> 00:27:35.760
The boundaries are harder to define,
476
00:27:35.760 --> 00:27:37.750
but in many ways it is a contest
477
00:27:37.750 --> 00:27:39.713
between tradition and change.
478
00:27:42.890 --> 00:27:44.730 line:15%
479
00:27:44.730 --> 00:27:47.947 line:15%
nothing less than the abolition of coal mining,
480
00:27:47.947 --> 00:27:50.870 line:15%
and they don't care who they hurt to get there.
481
00:27:50.870 --> 00:27:52.370
And who they're hurting here really
482
00:27:52.370 --> 00:27:54.263
is coal miners and their families.
483
00:27:54.263 --> 00:27:55.413
These people are hard-working people.
484
00:27:55.413 --> 00:27:58.030
All they wanna do is make a living,
485
00:27:58.030 --> 00:28:00.210
have some health coverage and raise their families up
486
00:28:00.210 --> 00:28:02.260
in their native land,
487
00:28:02.260 --> 00:28:04.720
and they're being prevented from doing that.
488
00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:07.773
489
00:28:07.773 --> 00:28:09.710
than just us I mean, there's a parking lot full
490
00:28:09.710 --> 00:28:13.680
of new cars here, and you've got all your shopping centers.
491
00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:16.730
You know we spend, most of our money is spent
492
00:28:16.730 --> 00:28:18.284
right here in this state,
493
00:28:18.284 --> 00:28:19.700
and a lot of it right here in this county.
494
00:28:19.700 --> 00:28:23.220
And when you take that out, there's nothing left here.
495
00:28:23.220 --> 00:28:25.380
496
00:28:26.260 --> 00:28:28.281
the coal eventually would run out
497
00:28:28.281 --> 00:28:30.592
and we'd all have to go somewhere else anyway.
498
00:28:30.592 --> 00:28:33.430
But just to the natural progression of life
499
00:28:33.430 --> 00:28:36.770
and with generations, it's just like most anybody
500
00:28:36.770 --> 00:28:39.230
that's got children that are wanting to go to college,
501
00:28:39.230 --> 00:28:40.200
they're not going to college
502
00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:43.277
to learn how to be a strip miner or a deep miner.
503
00:28:46.050 --> 00:28:48.310
504
00:28:48.310 --> 00:28:51.203
for two kids making minimum wage, it's tough.
505
00:28:56.020 --> 00:28:58.570
506
00:28:58.570 --> 00:29:00.280
507
00:29:00.280 --> 00:29:01.887
508
00:29:01.887 --> 00:29:04.300
509
00:29:04.300 --> 00:29:06.548
510
00:29:06.548 --> 00:29:07.800
511
00:29:07.800 --> 00:29:11.366
that they shut down your grocery stores
512
00:29:11.366 --> 00:29:13.090
and your restaurants.
513
00:29:13.090 --> 00:29:16.765
514
00:29:16.765 --> 00:29:20.360
of no choice, and force them to work on something
515
00:29:20.360 --> 00:29:21.840
that they know is gonna be cutting their throat
516
00:29:21.840 --> 00:29:23.103
eventually down the line,
517
00:29:25.360 --> 00:29:26.870
what do you think these people are gonna do?
518
00:29:26.870 --> 00:29:28.290
They ain't got no choice here.
519
00:29:28.290 --> 00:29:30.550
They have to do this type of work.
520
00:29:30.550 --> 00:29:32.760
But if we try to get the conventional mining back
521
00:29:32.760 --> 00:29:35.410
where it would employ more people,
522
00:29:35.410 --> 00:29:37.998
the state would get more of a tax trickle down effect.
523
00:29:37.998 --> 00:29:41.890
There'd be more products bought, more cars, more food,
524
00:29:41.890 --> 00:29:44.330
more houses, more groceries.
525
00:29:44.330 --> 00:29:45.520
Right now, the state is not
526
00:29:45.520 --> 00:29:47.170
getting that trickle down effect.
527
00:29:48.130 --> 00:29:50.730
Right now only a select fewer people
528
00:29:50.730 --> 00:29:54.317
is getting the kinda benefits from this type of mining.
529
00:29:55.170 --> 00:29:57.160
The people per se that's doing this mining
530
00:29:57.160 --> 00:30:01.040
are not even getting that benefit because every day
531
00:30:01.040 --> 00:30:03.020
they're taking a slice of their future away.
532
00:30:03.020 --> 00:30:05.770
Every day, they're taking a slice of their future away.
533
00:30:06.620 --> 00:30:07.453
Every day.
534
00:30:08.841 --> 00:30:11.790
And when they get to that very end,
535
00:30:11.790 --> 00:30:14.187
when they get to that very end and they come over here,
536
00:30:14.187 --> 00:30:15.726
and this is the last day,
537
00:30:15.726 --> 00:30:17.566
and this is the last paycheck in their hand,
538
00:30:17.566 --> 00:30:20.113
and then they look behind them.
539
00:30:22.010 --> 00:30:24.593
They ain't got no past because they destroyed it,
540
00:30:26.041 --> 00:30:28.841
and they ain't got no future because the mine left them.
541
00:30:30.600 --> 00:30:31.903
What do they do now?
542
00:30:36.790 --> 00:30:39.350
543
00:30:39.350 --> 00:30:40.880
this strip mining right here.
544
00:30:40.880 --> 00:30:44.099
And simply because they come in here.
545
00:30:44.099 --> 00:30:46.710
They haven't really forced you out, you know,
546
00:30:46.710 --> 00:30:49.343
but if you wanna put up with the noise and the vibrations
547
00:30:49.343 --> 00:30:54.343
and the dust and you know, all this other stuff,
548
00:30:55.866 --> 00:30:58.283
then, you know, live with it.
549
00:31:00.007 --> 00:31:03.452
But they just laid rocks and dirt,
550
00:31:03.452 --> 00:31:05.589
and that's what that thing there does.
551
00:31:05.589 --> 00:31:07.390
It just picks it up and shifts it
552
00:31:07.390 --> 00:31:09.790
from one hollow to the next, that's all it does.
553
00:31:11.956 --> 00:31:14.789
(truck rumbling)
554
00:31:21.310 --> 00:31:23.260
555
00:31:23.260 --> 00:31:26.033
That used to run wall all back through there,
556
00:31:26.033 --> 00:31:28.647
but they filled it in, and that's what you got now.
557
00:31:35.791 --> 00:31:38.032
558
00:31:38.032 --> 00:31:40.128
559
00:31:40.128 --> 00:31:42.546
560
00:31:42.546 --> 00:31:44.330
561
00:31:44.330 --> 00:31:45.890
562
00:31:45.890 --> 00:31:47.203
I'm an underground miner.
563
00:31:49.161 --> 00:31:51.130
You know, if they can get everyone out of this area,
564
00:31:51.130 --> 00:31:54.536
Sharples, Blair, Kelley, you know, all through here.
565
00:31:54.536 --> 00:31:56.840
They can come under here, you know.
566
00:31:56.840 --> 00:31:59.737
Lotsa coal underneath here,
567
00:31:59.737 --> 00:32:02.727
lower than what this mountaintop of removal is, you know?
568
00:32:02.727 --> 00:32:05.200
But they can't do it long as people live in this area,
569
00:32:05.200 --> 00:32:08.530
they gotta bypass them, and there's millions of dollars
570
00:32:08.530 --> 00:32:10.180
to be made down there, but still.
571
00:32:15.840 --> 00:32:17.518
572
00:32:17.518 --> 00:32:18.870
the communities would be shrinking at any rate
573
00:32:18.870 --> 00:32:21.640
because economic opportunities there
574
00:32:21.640 --> 00:32:23.570
are difficult to come by.
575
00:32:23.570 --> 00:32:25.490
But I think that's partly because of the kinds
576
00:32:25.490 --> 00:32:27.460
of economic development that's occurred down there,
577
00:32:27.460 --> 00:32:29.393
or lack of economic development.
578
00:32:29.393 --> 00:32:31.890
The only thing that, that supports those regions now
579
00:32:31.890 --> 00:32:33.770
are these very large strip mines,
580
00:32:33.770 --> 00:32:35.590
and they don't employ the number of people
581
00:32:35.590 --> 00:32:38.636
that the mining industry traditionally employed.
582
00:32:38.636 --> 00:32:43.553
♪ I feel like traveling on ♪
583
00:32:43.553 --> 00:32:48.412
♪ Nor pain nor death can enter there ♪
584
00:32:48.412 --> 00:32:53.050
♪ I feel like traveling on ♪
585
00:32:53.050 --> 00:32:57.531
♪ Yes I feel like traveling on ♪
586
00:32:57.531 --> 00:33:01.364
♪ I feel like traveling on my ♪
587
00:33:02.593 --> 00:33:06.093
(crowd members cheering)
588
00:33:07.278 --> 00:33:08.111
589
00:33:08.111 --> 00:33:11.293
to our sixth annual Coal Festival.
590
00:33:16.440 --> 00:33:17.923
591
00:33:17.923 --> 00:33:20.810
Coal Miners Festival, we welcome you to this,
592
00:33:20.810 --> 00:33:23.793
our second annual Coal Miners Memorial Tribute.
593
00:33:28.310 --> 00:33:31.653
First let's have word of prayer.
594
00:33:33.630 --> 00:33:35.430
595
00:33:35.430 --> 00:33:37.770
Dear gracious, heavenly father,
596
00:33:37.770 --> 00:33:40.330
we ask you to look over our industry, the coal industry,
597
00:33:40.330 --> 00:33:43.530
Lord, that it's been good to us and our families.
598
00:33:43.530 --> 00:33:46.570
Father, we ask you to protect us and our industry,
599
00:33:46.570 --> 00:33:50.950
that we might continue to prosper and raise our family
600
00:33:50.950 --> 00:33:53.810
and pass it on to the next generation.
601
00:33:53.810 --> 00:33:55.863
Thank you Lord, Amen.
602
00:33:58.850 --> 00:34:00.360
603
00:34:00.360 --> 00:34:05.360
is take you back a few years, as our coal museum
604
00:34:06.420 --> 00:34:11.420
will take you back into the early yesteryears of mining.
605
00:34:15.070 --> 00:34:17.110
As you travel through our coal museum,
606
00:34:17.110 --> 00:34:19.420
you'll see equipment that was used
607
00:34:20.630 --> 00:34:22.230
that was a master of hard labor.
608
00:34:23.130 --> 00:34:27.303
But with new technologies, new training,
609
00:34:28.160 --> 00:34:29.160
things have changed.
610
00:34:30.090 --> 00:34:33.423
(spectators chattering)
611
00:34:37.908 --> 00:34:40.490
612
00:34:40.490 --> 00:34:43.300
and decided that we needed a museum
613
00:34:43.300 --> 00:34:45.740
here in Madison, West Virginia,
614
00:34:45.740 --> 00:34:48.720
the county seat of Boone County,
615
00:34:48.720 --> 00:34:52.673
where coal was discovered in 1742.
616
00:34:53.855 --> 00:34:58.855
Unless we now preserve some of the history
617
00:35:00.530 --> 00:35:04.130
of our coal mining industry,
618
00:35:04.130 --> 00:35:06.870
then the future generation will not understand.
619
00:35:06.870 --> 00:35:07.730
620
00:35:07.730 --> 00:35:08.900
the name of the museum?
621
00:35:08.900 --> 00:35:12.670
622
00:35:12.670 --> 00:35:15.675
that is the best in the world, right Mr. Wiseman?
623
00:35:15.675 --> 00:35:17.597
624
00:35:17.597 --> 00:35:21.350
625
00:35:21.350 --> 00:35:25.123
the Bituminous Heritage-
626
00:35:26.220 --> 00:35:28.950
627
00:35:28.950 --> 00:35:32.236
a lot of words in there, but very important.
628
00:35:32.236 --> 00:35:34.500
And the ribbon cutting ceremony,
629
00:35:34.500 --> 00:35:36.750
that we now have a permanent museum.
630
00:35:36.750 --> 00:35:38.800
I think this is only the beginning.
631
00:35:38.800 --> 00:35:43.080
I think we will have a lot of people coming to our area.
632
00:35:43.080 --> 00:35:46.714
Good things to happen here in Boone county, I'm hoping for.
633
00:35:46.714 --> 00:35:50.131
(spectators chattering)
634
00:35:51.720 --> 00:35:52.940
635
00:35:52.940 --> 00:35:55.600
to improve its image, opponents of the mine
636
00:35:55.600 --> 00:35:58.583
persuaded federal regulators to hold a public hearing.
637
00:36:00.060 --> 00:36:03.967
638
00:36:03.967 --> 00:36:07.510
"We're not sure that you're complying with our standards."
639
00:36:07.510 --> 00:36:09.908
However, I consider that political.
640
00:36:09.908 --> 00:36:11.614
641
00:36:11.614 --> 00:36:14.650
642
00:36:14.650 --> 00:36:16.800
I don't recall the state of West Virginia
643
00:36:16.800 --> 00:36:19.070
trading cocaine for arms,
644
00:36:19.070 --> 00:36:21.907
injecting its citizens with syphilis,
645
00:36:21.907 --> 00:36:24.810
or assassinating its leaders.
646
00:36:24.810 --> 00:36:27.810
So I more trust my state government,
647
00:36:27.810 --> 00:36:30.010
and I do not look to the federal government
648
00:36:30.010 --> 00:36:31.800
to tell me what I need.
649
00:36:31.800 --> 00:36:33.250
650
00:36:33.250 --> 00:36:35.320
and vendors who sell to the mines and miners
651
00:36:35.320 --> 00:36:37.232
were out in force today,
652
00:36:37.232 --> 00:36:39.100
supporting the mountaintop removal method.
653
00:36:39.100 --> 00:36:41.630
The company and the miners say if the EPA
654
00:36:41.630 --> 00:36:43.460
does not lift its objections soon,
655
00:36:43.460 --> 00:36:46.207
the Dal-Tex operation will have to close.
656
00:36:46.207 --> 00:36:49.540
(attendees chattering)
657
00:36:57.030 --> 00:37:00.313
658
00:37:00.313 --> 00:37:03.408
I'm the regional administrator for the states
659
00:37:03.408 --> 00:37:04.580
that include West Virginia.
660
00:37:04.580 --> 00:37:08.960
We're here today because West Virginia citizens
661
00:37:08.960 --> 00:37:10.363
asked us for this hearing.
662
00:37:12.520 --> 00:37:14.990
It is estimated that more than 900 miles
663
00:37:14.990 --> 00:37:16.910
of intermittent and perennial streams
664
00:37:16.910 --> 00:37:19.410
have been destroyed by valley fills in Appalachia.
665
00:37:20.790 --> 00:37:23.520
While we conduct greater permit scrutiny,
666
00:37:23.520 --> 00:37:26.260
the coal seams aren't going anywhere,
667
00:37:26.260 --> 00:37:28.620
but once the valleys are filled,
668
00:37:28.620 --> 00:37:30.600
and the streams are destroyed,
669
00:37:30.600 --> 00:37:34.123
and the mountaintops are removed, they will be gone forever.
670
00:37:35.323 --> 00:37:38.573
(audience applauding)
671
00:37:42.486 --> 00:37:43.360
672
00:37:43.360 --> 00:37:45.880
Now we're ready to hear from our first speaker.
673
00:37:45.880 --> 00:37:49.440
674
00:37:49.440 --> 00:37:51.940
in state and county taxes.
675
00:37:51.940 --> 00:37:54.330
Is it fair for Logan County to close a school
676
00:37:54.330 --> 00:37:58.150
or stop running school buses while we study this question?
677
00:37:58.150 --> 00:38:02.540
678
00:38:02.540 --> 00:38:05.370
when thousands upon thousands of jobs
679
00:38:05.370 --> 00:38:07.620
are held in abeyance or in jeopardy
680
00:38:07.620 --> 00:38:11.470
because of alleged environmental concerns.
681
00:38:11.470 --> 00:38:15.010
682
00:38:15.010 --> 00:38:17.073
and if there's no ball, there's no game.
683
00:38:18.006 --> 00:38:19.400
And we hope that when you go back to your homes,
684
00:38:19.400 --> 00:38:21.820
wherever they are, Philadelphia, Washington,
685
00:38:21.820 --> 00:38:25.003
that you realize what an impact you will have our community.
686
00:38:25.860 --> 00:38:27.045
687
00:38:27.045 --> 00:38:30.128
(audience cheering)
688
00:38:33.128 --> 00:38:35.402
689
00:38:35.402 --> 00:38:38.103
came into West Virginia and enforced some pretty tough laws,
690
00:38:38.103 --> 00:38:40.605
and I lost my coal mining job.
691
00:38:40.605 --> 00:38:43.340
My family, my three children felt that pain.
692
00:38:43.340 --> 00:38:46.763
There were no public hearings for it.
693
00:38:46.763 --> 00:38:49.504
Those folks outside that can hear this, and folks in here,
694
00:38:49.504 --> 00:38:51.640
how many of you are here today,
695
00:38:51.640 --> 00:38:53.319
because you're protecting your jobs?
696
00:38:53.319 --> 00:38:55.565
(audience applauding)
697
00:38:55.565 --> 00:38:58.680
Outside, see if they can hear it.
698
00:38:58.680 --> 00:39:00.270
Well, it's not about jobs.
699
00:39:00.270 --> 00:39:02.650
This hearing's about the enforcement
700
00:39:02.650 --> 00:39:05.300
of the Clean Water Act of the United States of America.
701
00:39:05.300 --> 00:39:08.050
If one industry or group of industries
702
00:39:08.050 --> 00:39:11.080
can control the governor,
703
00:39:11.080 --> 00:39:12.823
can control the Senate President,
704
00:39:13.844 --> 00:39:15.000
can control the legislature,
705
00:39:15.000 --> 00:39:17.353
they can control the House Speaker,
706
00:39:17.353 --> 00:39:20.833
then the federal government is our only salvation.
707
00:39:23.250 --> 00:39:27.313
It's their responsibility to protect us from this.
708
00:39:29.310 --> 00:39:32.870
709
00:39:32.870 --> 00:39:35.085
or the private citizens are right.
710
00:39:35.085 --> 00:39:37.830
It's the fact that there is no regulatory agency
711
00:39:37.830 --> 00:39:39.964
doing their job in West Virginia
712
00:39:39.964 --> 00:39:41.553
to address the people's needs.
713
00:39:41.553 --> 00:39:43.292
Yes, we need clean water.
714
00:39:43.292 --> 00:39:47.030
Yes, we need jobs, but these people have to survive.
715
00:39:47.030 --> 00:39:50.769
This is something we live with 24 hours a day,
716
00:39:50.769 --> 00:39:53.329
and no amount of money is gonna solve that problem.
717
00:39:53.329 --> 00:39:56.173
You can't move a community and say
718
00:39:56.173 --> 00:39:58.844
it has been temporarily disturbed.
719
00:39:58.844 --> 00:40:02.011
It's not temporary nothing, it's gone.
720
00:40:03.970 --> 00:40:07.040 line:15%
721
00:40:07.040 --> 00:40:10.803 line:15%
one of the most interesting experiences I've had in this job
722
00:40:10.803 --> 00:40:15.150
because there were 1200 people there.
723
00:40:15.150 --> 00:40:19.380
I'd say 200 of them were anti permit,
724
00:40:19.380 --> 00:40:22.380
and about a thousand people were pro permit.
725
00:40:22.380 --> 00:40:25.906
726
00:40:25.906 --> 00:40:28.084
(audience applauding)
727
00:40:28.084 --> 00:40:29.857
728
00:40:29.857 --> 00:40:32.930
for 17 years, was the head of the state
729
00:40:32.930 --> 00:40:35.110
Department of Environmental Protection
730
00:40:35.110 --> 00:40:36.840
at the time of this hearing.
731
00:40:36.840 --> 00:40:39.023
732
00:40:40.290 --> 00:40:42.005
At the state level,
733
00:40:42.005 --> 00:40:45.633
we have exhaustively examined these permits.
734
00:40:47.067 --> 00:40:49.180
Now it appears that the process
735
00:40:49.180 --> 00:40:52.210
has been reopened and begun again,
736
00:40:52.210 --> 00:40:54.873
a sort of modern-day reinventing of the wheel.
737
00:40:56.330 --> 00:40:59.470
West Virginia has thoroughly studied these issues,
738
00:40:59.470 --> 00:41:00.940
and we believe these permits
739
00:41:00.940 --> 00:41:03.704
meet our standards and specifications.
740
00:41:03.704 --> 00:41:06.787
(audience cheering)
741
00:41:24.200 --> 00:41:25.775
742
00:41:25.775 --> 00:41:26.608
that the coal company people
743
00:41:27.510 --> 00:41:29.490
outnumber the citizens here today?
744
00:41:29.490 --> 00:41:31.440
745
00:41:31.440 --> 00:41:36.440
so much as actual workers, 'cause anytime you spread a rumor
746
00:41:36.500 --> 00:41:38.350
that a person's gonna be outta work,
747
00:41:38.350 --> 00:41:40.320
we have very few jobs in West Virginia.
748
00:41:40.320 --> 00:41:41.820
So it's natural that when you say
749
00:41:41.820 --> 00:41:43.370
that these people are gonna come out,
750
00:41:43.370 --> 00:41:45.537
their jobs, they feel are at stake.
751
00:41:45.537 --> 00:41:47.776
But once you get here and you start talking to the workers
752
00:41:47.776 --> 00:41:49.920
and you realize they don't wanna destroy your home,
753
00:41:49.920 --> 00:41:52.820
and they also realize you're not trying to take their job.
754
00:41:53.942 --> 00:41:57.192
(attendees chattering)
755
00:41:59.440 --> 00:42:01.570
756
00:42:01.570 --> 00:42:05.711
as six months to decide the fate of the Dal-Tex mine.
757
00:42:05.711 --> 00:42:08.211
(dog barking)
758
00:42:16.270 --> 00:42:19.860 line:15%
759
00:42:19.860 --> 00:42:24.860 line:15%
of two or three families, and we're all kin.
760
00:42:26.563 --> 00:42:28.403
What's left here right now,
761
00:42:31.320 --> 00:42:33.800
it's people that's been here all their life.
762
00:42:33.800 --> 00:42:36.750
And if they've been here all their life, they're kin to me.
763
00:42:42.463 --> 00:42:45.370
764
00:42:45.370 --> 00:42:47.780
or your great-great grandfather?
765
00:42:47.780 --> 00:42:50.420
766
00:42:50.420 --> 00:42:52.110
767
00:42:56.440 --> 00:42:57.440
768
00:42:57.440 --> 00:43:01.483
769
00:43:02.650 --> 00:43:03.900
Is this your mom's house?
770
00:43:05.670 --> 00:43:07.980
771
00:43:08.874 --> 00:43:10.573
772
00:43:10.573 --> 00:43:12.113
773
00:43:12.113 --> 00:43:14.052
that was here, wouldn't you?
774
00:43:14.052 --> 00:43:19.052
(bird twittering)
(insects buzzing)
775
00:43:28.346 --> 00:43:29.450
776
00:43:29.450 --> 00:43:31.313
me and my wife done our courting.
777
00:43:33.999 --> 00:43:37.499
778
00:43:38.723 --> 00:43:40.343
We would stop right here when she'd come in from school,
779
00:43:40.343 --> 00:43:43.093
because her mommy and daddy wouldn't allow her to date.
780
00:43:44.243 --> 00:43:48.748
(Jim laughing)
781
00:43:48.748 --> 00:43:49.581
782
00:43:49.581 --> 00:43:50.913
what you remember about the tree?
783
00:43:54.796 --> 00:43:59.437
784
00:43:59.437 --> 00:44:02.207
He would walk me home from school,
785
00:44:02.207 --> 00:44:06.960
and we would sit on that rock, and we would talk.
786
00:44:07.821 --> 00:44:11.071
(soft poignant music)
787
00:44:22.720 --> 00:44:27.720
788
00:44:31.670 --> 00:44:36.670
family started, was here at this tree, back 39 years ago.
789
00:44:43.139 --> 00:44:46.222
It's hard to talk about, it's lovely,
790
00:44:48.568 --> 00:44:53.381
and think what's gonna happen here at our love tree.
791
00:44:53.381 --> 00:44:56.214
(train rattling)
792
00:45:03.023 --> 00:45:04.510
793
00:45:04.510 --> 00:45:06.210
and I guess it was very emotional.
794
00:45:07.130 --> 00:45:11.090
'Cause I heard people talking about losing their homes.
795
00:45:11.090 --> 00:45:12.800
Well these people need to understand
796
00:45:12.800 --> 00:45:14.400
that everyone mining coal
797
00:45:14.400 --> 00:45:16.510
is not a large outta state corporation.
798
00:45:16.510 --> 00:45:19.346
There are many Rick Abrahams in West Virginia mining coal,
799
00:45:19.346 --> 00:45:24.010
and just how their perception is that their home is at risk,
800
00:45:24.010 --> 00:45:28.040
mine's at risk, in fact, I've lost two homes to coal mining.
801
00:45:28.040 --> 00:45:30.387
But not because of fly rock,
802
00:45:30.387 --> 00:45:33.505
because I personally signed for money at the bank.
803
00:45:33.505 --> 00:45:36.020
And there'd been times when we just didn't have the money
804
00:45:36.020 --> 00:45:39.170
for vacation pay, and I had equity in my home
805
00:45:39.170 --> 00:45:42.380
and I sold it and I used the money to keep my company going.
806
00:45:42.380 --> 00:45:44.610
807
00:45:44.610 --> 00:45:47.980
at the Dal-Tex mine, it won't be a happy new year.
808
00:45:47.980 --> 00:45:50.230
They've been laid off by Arch Coal.
809
00:45:50.230 --> 00:45:52.800
810
00:45:52.800 --> 00:45:55.070
at our preparation plant at Dal-Tex.
811
00:45:55.070 --> 00:45:56.620
That is most unfortunate.
812
00:45:56.620 --> 00:45:59.110
It's a result of permit delays.
813
00:45:59.110 --> 00:46:01.700
814
00:46:01.700 --> 00:46:04.283
more layoffs are coming for the 350 workers
815
00:46:04.283 --> 00:46:06.320
at the Dal-Tex mine.
816
00:46:06.320 --> 00:46:08.130
817
00:46:08.130 --> 00:46:10.380
We believe we're protecting the environment,
818
00:46:10.380 --> 00:46:12.160
and that we can have both jobs
819
00:46:12.160 --> 00:46:14.600
and protection of the environment.
820
00:46:14.600 --> 00:46:18.240
If we don't get those permits quickly,
821
00:46:18.240 --> 00:46:22.363
then we will simply have to lay off more individuals.
822
00:46:24.050 --> 00:46:26.280
823
00:46:26.280 --> 00:46:28.660
significant concessions from Arch Coal,
824
00:46:28.660 --> 00:46:31.470
and we are at the point now
825
00:46:31.470 --> 00:46:34.593
where we are going to lift our objections to the permit.
826
00:46:35.430 --> 00:46:36.630
827
00:46:36.630 --> 00:46:38.810
after the public hearing in Logan,
828
00:46:38.810 --> 00:46:40.960
the Environmental Protection Agency
829
00:46:40.960 --> 00:46:44.470
said that Dal-Tex mine expansion could go forward.
830
00:46:44.470 --> 00:46:46.060
831
00:46:46.060 --> 00:46:48.340
going through a most thorough review,
832
00:46:48.340 --> 00:46:51.510
and the federal agencies decided that they would not.
833
00:46:51.510 --> 00:46:54.130
Our only assumption can be because of political,
834
00:46:54.130 --> 00:46:56.903
economic pressures, threats of job layoffs.
835
00:46:57.800 --> 00:47:01.093
836
00:47:01.960 --> 00:47:04.020
Where the EPA backed down,
837
00:47:04.020 --> 00:47:06.450
a conservative Republican-appointed,
838
00:47:06.450 --> 00:47:09.033
bird-watching federal judge stepped in.
839
00:47:10.040 --> 00:47:11.720
840
00:47:11.720 --> 00:47:13.570
the proposed Blair strip mine site
841
00:47:13.570 --> 00:47:14.740
and other mountaintop mines
842
00:47:14.740 --> 00:47:16.910
before deciding if the project should be halted.
843
00:47:16.910 --> 00:47:18.700
844
00:47:18.700 --> 00:47:21.090
at some of Arch Coal's mountaintop mining reclamation
845
00:47:21.090 --> 00:47:23.200
before ruling on the company's plans
846
00:47:23.200 --> 00:47:25.927
to strip a record 3100 acres near Blair.
847
00:47:25.927 --> 00:47:28.040
848
00:47:28.040 --> 00:47:29.880
to stop the opening of the state's largest
849
00:47:29.880 --> 00:47:31.410
mountaintop removal strip mine
850
00:47:31.410 --> 00:47:33.630
brought about 200 Arch Coal miners
851
00:47:33.630 --> 00:47:36.090
to the federal courthouse to protest.
852
00:47:36.090 --> 00:47:39.320
853
00:47:39.320 --> 00:47:42.220
Stand on a welfare line or soup line, I guess.
854
00:47:42.220 --> 00:47:45.340
855
00:47:45.340 --> 00:47:47.160
Right here sits my family,
856
00:47:47.160 --> 00:47:50.020
and when you hurt my baby girl and my baby boy,
857
00:47:50.020 --> 00:47:51.600
then you made me madder than hell,
858
00:47:51.600 --> 00:47:53.804
and I'm gonna fight and do anything I can do
859
00:47:53.804 --> 00:47:57.255
to stand up for them.
(crowd cheering)
860
00:47:57.255 --> 00:47:58.250
861
00:47:58.250 --> 00:48:00.030
and it took on national attention.
862
00:48:00.030 --> 00:48:02.140
863
00:48:02.140 --> 00:48:03.460
a long time conservative.
864
00:48:03.460 --> 00:48:06.470
He ruled that west Virginia's mountaintop mines
865
00:48:06.470 --> 00:48:08.940
had indeed been violating the nation's mining
866
00:48:08.940 --> 00:48:11.103
and clean water laws for years.
867
00:48:12.258 --> 00:48:15.360
And that decision sent shock waves across the state.
868
00:48:15.360 --> 00:48:16.690
869
00:48:16.690 --> 00:48:18.830
being shipped out of state from an Arch coal mine
870
00:48:18.830 --> 00:48:21.630
that would've been the state's largest mountaintop mine.
871
00:48:23.010 --> 00:48:24.720
Many in Logan fear efforts to block
872
00:48:24.720 --> 00:48:26.860
mountaintop strip mining could wipe them out,
873
00:48:26.860 --> 00:48:28.610
and devastate the region's economy.
874
00:48:30.300 --> 00:48:32.313
875
00:48:33.410 --> 00:48:35.560
probably finds themselves in a, they don't know what to do.
876
00:48:35.560 --> 00:48:36.610
I don't know, I'm just speculating.
877
00:48:36.610 --> 00:48:38.491
I don't know, but they've invested
878
00:48:38.491 --> 00:48:42.110
a lot of money in machines, and the the agencies
879
00:48:42.110 --> 00:48:44.710
have allowed this to continue and to build and grow.
880
00:48:45.560 --> 00:48:48.937
And in a way, you know, we're coming along and saying,
881
00:48:48.937 --> 00:48:50.600
"Hey you know, this has gotten out of control."
882
00:48:50.600 --> 00:48:52.380
And they say, "It's taken a long time,
883
00:48:52.380 --> 00:48:53.980
and we've got investments here."
884
00:48:56.060 --> 00:48:57.750
I understand that argument.
885
00:49:03.259 --> 00:49:05.740
886
00:49:05.740 --> 00:49:07.268
887
00:49:07.268 --> 00:49:11.330
888
00:49:11.330 --> 00:49:13.221
889
00:49:13.221 --> 00:49:15.769
890
00:49:15.769 --> 00:49:17.123
Like I said before, you know,
891
00:49:17.123 --> 00:49:19.830
I've got a 10-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son.
892
00:49:19.830 --> 00:49:22.630
My wife's a nurse, we both work.
893
00:49:22.630 --> 00:49:24.647
They listen to us talking to home.
894
00:49:24.647 --> 00:49:25.480
They know what's coming down here.
895
00:49:25.480 --> 00:49:28.520
896
00:49:28.520 --> 00:49:32.610
And because we don't have it in an expeditious fashion,
897
00:49:32.610 --> 00:49:34.520
and we don't know when we're gonna have it,
898
00:49:34.520 --> 00:49:38.963
they have indicated, the upper management has indicated,
899
00:49:38.963 --> 00:49:40.680
that the mine will have to shut down.
900
00:49:40.680 --> 00:49:44.580
901
00:49:44.580 --> 00:49:49.150
And 400 miners isn't going to kill Logan County.
902
00:49:49.150 --> 00:49:50.420
903
00:49:50.420 --> 00:49:52.930
and I don't think anyone would say otherwise.
904
00:49:52.930 --> 00:49:55.870
There is a great problem about how to develop
905
00:49:55.870 --> 00:49:57.730
those coalfield communities in the future,
906
00:49:57.730 --> 00:49:59.600
and how to allow people to stay there.
907
00:49:59.600 --> 00:50:01.480
All we're saying is this is not the way,
908
00:50:01.480 --> 00:50:03.410
because this is clearly running them out.
909
00:50:03.410 --> 00:50:06.050
That people want to stay, I have no doubt about that.
910
00:50:06.050 --> 00:50:07.700
Every time I talk to any West Virginian,
911
00:50:07.700 --> 00:50:09.138
they wanna stay where they are.
912
00:50:09.138 --> 00:50:11.207
I mean, it's a crazy thing, and people might say,
913
00:50:11.207 --> 00:50:12.190
"Why in the world do those people
914
00:50:12.190 --> 00:50:14.443
wanna stay up in those hollows," but they do.
915
00:50:16.910 --> 00:50:19.170
916
00:50:19.170 --> 00:50:21.960
Arch Coal shut down the Dal-Tex mine,
917
00:50:21.960 --> 00:50:25.173
laying off nearly 400 United Mine workers.
918
00:50:26.157 --> 00:50:29.324
(soft poignant music)
919
00:50:42.131 --> 00:50:43.381
920
00:50:44.284 --> 00:50:47.320
Listen, you ready to go to work?
921
00:50:47.320 --> 00:50:51.540
922
00:50:51.540 --> 00:50:53.510
because it's who they are.
923
00:50:53.510 --> 00:50:56.100
And to a lot of people that may be,
924
00:50:56.100 --> 00:50:58.136
backwoods type thing, but I'd like to think
925
00:50:58.136 --> 00:51:01.823
it's a strength of West Virginia, that our life is simple.
926
00:51:05.388 --> 00:51:09.330
I get real emotional because I don't think
927
00:51:09.330 --> 00:51:13.520
the cost of a person's house or the clothes that they wear
928
00:51:13.520 --> 00:51:15.830
is what makes that person.
929
00:51:15.830 --> 00:51:17.710
I think that people should look past
930
00:51:17.710 --> 00:51:20.820
whether we live in a $10,000 camper,
931
00:51:20.820 --> 00:51:23.450
or whether we live in a $200,000 home,
932
00:51:23.450 --> 00:51:25.740
if that home and that community has been destroyed,
933
00:51:25.740 --> 00:51:26.940
then it should be protected.
934
00:51:26.940 --> 00:51:30.020
It should be protected by those people in that community.
935
00:51:30.020 --> 00:51:31.770
It should be protected by the other workers
936
00:51:31.770 --> 00:51:33.670
from West Virginia, and by all means
937
00:51:33.670 --> 00:51:36.543
it should be protected by our government.
938
00:51:36.543 --> 00:51:39.710
(soft poignant music)
939
00:51:50.185 --> 00:51:53.435
(children chattering)
940
00:51:59.781 --> 00:52:01.662
941
00:52:01.662 --> 00:52:06.662
And he said, "What I create, man will not destruct."
942
00:52:11.610 --> 00:52:14.026
943
00:52:14.026 --> 00:52:14.859
944
00:52:16.144 --> 00:52:19.061
945
00:52:23.134 --> 00:52:28.134
♪ Lord I gotta go see what I can do ♪
946
00:52:32.764 --> 00:52:37.764
♪ Lord I gotta go see what I can do ♪
947
00:52:42.736 --> 00:52:47.736
♪ Lord I gotta go see what I can do ♪
948
00:52:50.438 --> 00:52:55.355
♪ Can't give up til I go see what I can do ♪
949
00:53:01.757 --> 00:53:06.757
♪ Now brother go see what you can do ♪
950
00:53:11.217 --> 00:53:16.217
♪ Father go see what you can do ♪
951
00:53:20.403 --> 00:53:25.403
♪ Yes mother go see what you can do ♪
952
00:53:28.575 --> 00:53:33.575
♪ Lord you can't give up til you go see what you can do ♪
