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Feb 12: Mountains rally gets celebrity support

rally

FRANKFORT, KY -- "In an interview, Dave Moss, vice president for the Kentucky Coal Association, said he did not understand why any legislators would back a Stream Saver bill now, following an agreement reached in January on new mining practices. State and federal officials have promised the new methods would protect streams and lead to faster and better reclamation of hillsides and mountains. Rally participants marched from the Kentucky River to the capitol in freezing temperatures. They dressed in winter jackets, scarves, hats and mittens, and chanted 'new power now.' Teri Blanton, the former chair of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, said, 'We want new political power. We want new clean energy power. We want new economic power,'" James Bruggers, Louisville Courier-Journal.

ABINGDON, VA -- Virginia lawmakers to consider ‘Stream Saver’ fill ban, Debra McCown, Bristol Herald Courier.

CHARLESTON, WV -- Blankenship nets $3.8 million in stock deal, Ken Ward, Jr., Charleston Gazette.
MORE ON MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL



Feb 11: Amazing video: Coal miners join historic rallies to end mountaintop removal



FRANKFORT, KY -- "In a symbolic bond between the Appalachian states of Kentucky and Virginia, coal miners and coalfield residents will rally with statewide citizens groups in both state capitals on February 11th, as historic 'stream saver' bills are introduced in special hearings to stop the illegal dumping of mountaintop removal mining waste in protected waterways, and bring an end to the most egregious human rights and environmental violation in the nation. An estimated 2,000 miles of streams and waterways have been jammed and sullied by mining waste in the Appalachian mountains. Coal miners are uniting with citizens and environmental groups across the Appalachian coalfields with an unequivocal message to the world: End mountaintop removal now, and launch a just transition for clean energy jobs in the coalfields," Jeff Biggers, Huffington Post.
MORE ON MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL



Feb 10: Gov. Strickland, in picking Lesser, fills powerful PUCO seat with safe, insider candidate

COLUMBUS -- "Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, on Monday, appointed Steven Lesser as a commissioner of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio for a five-year term beginning April 11, 2010 and expiring April 10, 2015, according to a media release. Lesser, a resident of the small but affluent city of Bexley near Downtown Columbus, is currently the chief of staff at the PUCO... Ohio Citizen Action spokeswoman Catherine Turcer called on Strickland to seize the opportunity and reshape it: 'Why not rethink the whole process? Why not open the process to public comment? This is the right time... What you want to have at the PUCO is accountability to consumers,'" Cleveland Examiner.



Feb 10: Editorial: Polluters of all sizes should be treated same

WILLOUGHBY -- "When it comes to doing business, everyone prefers — and respects having — a level playing field. And in Ohio, it appears as though the playing field may soon be leveled with regard to businesses and air pollution. A federal judge ruled last week that Ohio environmental regulators have violated the federal Clean Air Act by allowing thousands of low-level polluters to go without the latest air-scrubbing technology. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency was ordered to lift an exemption the agency has been giving since 2006 to emitters of 10 tons of pollution or less per year, according to The Associated Press," News-Herald.



Feb 10: SunCoke gets final permit, can start construction
Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland touts project as a "major job creation investment"

MIDDLETOWN -- "SunCoke Energy now has its air permit to build a $360 million coke oven facility in Middletown, and can begin construction immediately, according to state officials... The SunCoke plant, set to be built on a 157-acre plot off Yankee Road in Middletown, was plagued with myriad issues since it was first announced two years ago. The air permit is its second after the first was the subject of several appeals and a lawsuit. Lisa Frye, president of opposition group SunCoke Watch Inc., said they are still reviewing the permit and discussing legal moves. However, she called SunCoke’s pursuit of a more stringent NSR permit 'a victory for our group,'" Jessica Heffner, Middletown Journal.
MORE ON SUNCOKE AND AK STEEL



Feb 9: Redistricting reform is underway in Ohio

COLUMBUS -- "To overhaul the system, the Democrat-controlled House and Republican-dominated Senate must agree on a plan to put before voters on the Nov. 2 ballot as a constitutional amendment. House Democrats unveiled their reform plan last week, more than four months after the Senate passed its own resolution to establish new rules for drawing boundaries. Supporters of each plan say their goal is to create more competitive districts and to remove blatant partisanship from the process... Catherine Turcer, of the government watchdog group Ohio Citizen Action, agreed that both plans have merits. 'We have identified a problem. We know the current status quo -- voters are being manipulated,' Turcer said. 'Neither plan is perfect. What we need is a good mix of both and maybe something else thrown in,'" Joe Guillen, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
MORE ON MONEY IN POLITICS



Feb 9: After feds step in, Department of Environmental Protection cites Massey dam


Brushy Fork coal slurry impoundment in Raleigh County, WV

CHARLESTON, WV -- "After federal officials threatened to step in, the state Department of Environmental Protection late last week cited Massey Energy for problems with the expansion of its controversial Brushy Fork coal-slurry impoundment in Raleigh County. DEP officials were aware of a stability violation at the site since late-December or early January, but took no enforcement action until the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement learned of the problem during its own inspection," Ken Ward Jr., Charleston Gazette.
MORE ON MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL



Feb 8: Baard bond resolution has expired

CLEVELAND -- "The Ohio Air Quality Development Authority (OAQDA) confirmed today that it has not issued any bonds for the proposed Baard Energy Ohio Clean River Fuels plant. The company had received an agreement from the state authority in December 2006 for the issuance of $4 billion in bonds. Responding to a public records request from Ohio Citizen Action Money in Politics Project Director Catherine Turcer, OAQDA Executive Director Mark Shanahan said that, while OAQDA had taken a first step in possible issuance of the bonds with the December 2006 resolution, no further steps have been taken and the resolution expired on January 1, 2010. While OAQDA does have the power to extend the resolution, he said, 'at this time, the project has not requested such an extension nor has OAQDA considered one,'" Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
MORE ON THE PROPOSED BAARD PLANT



Feb 8: Here is what Ohio EPA permits would allow the proposed Baard coal plant to put into our air every year:


Carbon monoxide
Nitrogen Oxide
Particulates total
Particulates (PM 10)
Sulfur dioxide
Volatile Organic Chemicals
Hazardous air pollutants (Phase 1)
Hazardous air pollutants (Thereafter)
Ammonia
Hydrogen sulfide
Emissions per year
9,783,400 lbs.
1,204,400 lbs.
886,600 lbs.
727,000 lbs.
1,118,800 lbs.
556,000 lbs.
37,520 lbs.
39,160 lbs.
448,020 lbs.
25,960 lbs.

Source: Ohio EPA permits for the proposed Baard coal plant in Wellsville, Ohio, compiled by the Natural Resources Defense Council. The permitted emissions do not take into account possible flaring due to process upsets or emergencies, when pollutants may be sent out untreated. Of the permitted pollutants, many emissions would be concentrated in start-ups and shut-downs at the facility. Hazardous air pollutants are a group of 25 pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act. They include lead, formaldehyde, and solvents such as benzene. “Particulates (PM 10)” is a subset of “Particulates total”, but are reported separately.
MORE ON THE PROPOSED BAARD PLANT



Feb 8: SunCoke commits $280M for coke plant this year


People in opposition to the SunCoke coke plant gathered for a press conference held last April. (Nick Graham/Middletown Journal)

MIDDLETOWN -- "Sunoco Inc., parent company of SunCoke Energy Inc., said it 'remains committed' to building a coke plant in Middletown and plans to invest up to $280 million this year for its construction... Since the project was announced nearly two years ago, the now estimated $360 million coke oven facility has been caught up in various permitting issues and civil lawsuits. The plant would supply metallurgical coke, a vital steelmaking raw material, to AK Steel’s Middletown Works for at least the next 20 years and add about 500 temporary and 75 permanent jobs to the area if built," Jessica Heffner, Dayton Daily News. Published February 5.
MORE ON SUNCOKE AND AK STEEL



Feb 4: West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin's impressions of Obama views on mountaintop removal


President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and several cabinet members and aides met yesterday with the governors of West Virginia, Ohio and nine other states to discuss energy policy.

WASHINGTON, DC -- "After meeting with President Barack Obama and other Administration officials yesterday, West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin told a phone press conference that mountaintop removal coal mining was one of the topics. Manchin said he told President Obama, 'Mountaintop removal, we know that's very volatile.' [Obama] says, 'Absolutely.' It was high on his radar screen. He knows all about it... There's no bones about it, [the Administration], they're not a fan of mountaintop removal. They talked about it and they asked me. It's a volatile issue, we know that... I could tell that they've got concerns there,'" Paul Ryder, Organizing Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
MORE ON MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL



Feb 4: Judge: Small Ohio polluters can't skirt air rules; EPA improperly granted exemptions

COLUMBUS -- "Sandy Buchanan, executive director of Ohio Citizen Action, said the environmental advocacy group is pleased with the decision. Her group is part of an overall challenge to the rules EPA created under the 2006 law, which she believes may be bolstered by it. The case is pending before the state Environmental Review Appeals Commission. 'All states have to get authority from the federal government to implement their clean air rules,' she said. 'Frankly, Ohio has been on the verge of losing their status (as compliant) for some time now because they're doing such a bad job,'" Julie Carr Smyth, Associated Press.

COLUMBUS -- Ohio exceptions to Clean Air Act ruled illegal, Spencer Hunt, Columbus Dispatch.

MORE ON THE OHIO EPA



Feb 3: Anti-mountaintop removal activist Jeff Biggers to speak in Cincinnati

CINCINNATI -- "Ohio Citizen Action and the Urban Appalachian Council proudly present author, award-winning journalist and cultural historian Jeff Biggers, reading and presenting from his new book, Reckoning at Eagle Creek: the Secret Legacy of Coal in the Heartland. The event takes place at 2pm Sunday, February 7 in the auditorium of North Presbyterian Church, 4222 Hamilton Avenue in Northside and is free and open to the public. Mr. Biggers is known as a thorough and passionate researcher and a very entertaining speaker. Books will be available for sale and donations will be accepted to promote the work of Ohio Citizen Action to stop mountaintop removal coal mining and of the Urban Appalachian Council to provide educational and cultural programs to, by and for urban Appalachian families in Greater Cincinnati," Melissa English, Southern Ohio Program Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
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Feb 3: New Jersey Congressman Leonard Lance breaks two records in the fight to stop mountaintop removal mining

WASHINGTON, DC — "Rep. Leonard Lance of New Jersey’s 7th District became the 163rd co-sponsor of H.R. 1310, the Clean Water Protection Act. The House bill and a similar bill in the Senate, S. 696, the Appalachia Restoration Act, both seek to put an effective ban on mountaintop removal coal mining. Rep. Lance is the ninth House member from New Jersey to co-sponsor H.R. 1310 and the eighth Republican nationwide. Both New Jersey Senators are co-sponsors of S. 696. Six Ohio House members are co-sponsors: Steve Driehaus, Marcia Fudge, Mary Jo Kilroy, Dennis Kucinich, Tim Ryan, and Betty Sutton. Neither Ohio Senator has co-sponsored S. 696," Kate Russell, Organizer, Ohio Citizen Action.
MORE ON MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL



Feb 3: Confirmed three times in one week:
Coal, nuclear lobbyists now firmly in charge of Obama's energy policy


COLUMBUS -- "Mid-20th century vested interests in coal and nuclear power are now firmly in charge of President Barack Obama's energy policy, as confirmed three times in the last week:

  • 2008 Obama campaign ad
    In his first State of the Union speech on January 27, Obama gave the usual tribute to 'green jobs,' and then reeled off his real priorities: 'But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives. That means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country. It means making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development. It means continued investment in advanced biofuels and clean coal technologies.'
  • Obama sent his proposed 2011 budget to Congress on February 1. It would double coal subsidies through a switch from the existing $228 million-a-year subsidy to a new $545 million-a-year subsidy with the name "clean coal." The proposed budget also nearly triples federal loan guarantees for new nuclear plants, from $18.5 billion to $54.5 billion.
  • Yesterday, at a town hall meeting in Nashua, New Hampshire, Obama signaled that he was ready to accept a "Plan B" energy bill. When the cap-and-trade climate bill was moving through the U.S. House last spring, Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi let it be larded with subsidies to coal and nuclear interests, with an eye to buying votes for the cap-and-trade provisions. Now it is clear that the cap-and-trade scheme cannot pass, so Senators are preparing 'Plan B', to pass the coal and nuclear subsidies without the cap-and-trade provisions. Obama told the town hall audience that he is receptive to this idea: 'We may be able to separate these things out.' Meanwhile, Sens. John Kerry (MA), Joseph Lieberman (CT) and Lindsey Graham (SC) are busy adding more nuclear power subsidies to the bill," Paul Ryder, Organizing Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
MORE ON COAL-FIRED POWER



Feb 3: Manchin going to talk coal with Obama and Biden

CHARLESTON, WV -- "Gov. Joe Manchin said he and governors from 10 other states are scheduled to meet with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday to discuss energy... 'I think there's a misconception that we don't recognize we need to do our part for the environment,' Manchin said following a speech to several hundred business leaders in South Charleston on Tuesday. Manchin said it seems the fact that West Virginia is the third-largest producer of wind power in the eastern United States is often overlooked. And 'we'd love to do solar,' he said. 'I want them to know we have a land-use bill' that requires mining companies to plan how land will be used after mountaintop removal mining, he said," George Hohmann, Charleston Daily Mail.
MORE ON MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL



Feb 3: Federal judge rules Ohio EPA in violation of Clean Air Act

COLUMBUS -- "In a significant environmental decision, U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Abel ruled yesterday that Ohio EPA has violated the Federal Clean Air Act by failing to require the use of 'best available technology' for thousands of air pollution sources in Ohio. Judge Abel's ruling reversed a decision he had made in September 2009, which the plaintiffs petitioned that he reconsider. The case was brought by the Sierra Club and individual members of the Sierra Club who live near polluting facilities. They were represented in court by Cincinnati attorney David Altman.

Judge Abel issued an injunction against Ohio EPA, preventing the agency from continuing to exempt the air pollution sources from the requirement of using the best available technology to prevent pollution. The ruling affects all sources of under ten tons of dangerous air pollutants, including lead, soot, sulfur dioxide and others. These sources are found at thousands of facilities, both large and small across the state of Ohio.

Ohio EPA had implemented the new rules in response to legislation passed in August 2006. Environmental groups, including Ohio Citizen Action, have also challenged these rules at the state Environmental Reviwe Appeals Commission. That case is currently scheduled to be heard in September 2010," Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
MORE ON THE OHIO EPA



Feb 2: Judge blocks further protests against Massey



CHARLESTON, WV -- "A federal judge has temporarily ordered a halt to mountaintop-removal protests that involve trespassing on Massey Energy property or interfering with any of Massey's operations. U.S. District Judge Irene C. Berger granted Massey subsidiary Marfork Coal Co.'s request for a temporary restraining order against non-violent civil disobedience actions aimed at stopping its mountaintop-removal mining operations. The order prohibits 'trespassing or otherwise congregating' on mining property as well as 'interfering, obstructing, blocking, impeding or tampering with' any mining properties in Southern West Virginia," Ken Ward, Jr., Charleston Gazette.

CHARLESTON, WV -- Judge bars protesters from Massey mines in West Virginia, Tim Huber, Associated Press.
MORE ON MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL



Feb 2: DuPont responds to Little Hocking Water Association suit

MARIETTA -- "DuPont attorneys filed 75 defenses last week in response to a federal lawsuit brought by the Little Hocking Water Association over C8 contamination and are asking for the suit to be dismissed... The water association is asking the court to order DuPont to fund a comprehensive cleanup of all affected well fields and an investigation, assessment and cleanup or containment of all sources of contamination. The suit also seeks unspecified compensation for damages. The association claims the water filtration system DuPont installed and maintains is not enough to adequately protect the public from C8 and other related chemicals that taint the water system there," Brad Bauer, Marietta Times.

MORE ON DUPONT C8



Feb 1: Has Baard Energy's $4 billion bond now lapsed?

COLUMBUS -- "On behalf of Ohio Citizen Action, and pursuant to the Ohio Public Records Act, Ohio Revised Code 149.93, I am writing to request information about the status of OAQDA’s financial support of the proposed Baard coal-to-liquids plant in Wellsville, Ohio. OAQDA approved a $4 billion bond issue for this facility in December 2006. The resolution passed by OAQDA stated, 'If the first series of bonds has not been issued by January 1, 2010, then this resolution shall expire, unless extended by the Authority,' Please provide responses to the following questions: (1) Were any bonds issued pursuant to this agreement before January 1, 2010? If so, in what amounts and for what terms? (2) If no bonds were issued by January 1, 2010, did the resolution expire, or was it extended? If so, for how long?," letter, Catherine Turcer, Director, Money in Politics Project, Ohio Citizen Action, to Dr. Mark Shanahan, Executive Director, Ohio Air Quality Development Authority, dated January 26, 2010. MORE ON THE PROPOSED BAARD PLANT



Feb 1: Wilson defends Ohio EPA in Baard debate

LISBON -- "A local state legislator is upset with comments by an environmental activist group questioning the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency's ability to properly monitor the Baard Energy plant should it ever be built. State Sen. Jason Wilson, D-Columbiana, said while the National Resources Defense Council is certainly free to attempt to influence public policy in regard to the Baard project, they had better have the facts to back up their claims. Wilson was responding to a story in the Jan. 22 Morning Journal in which NRDC officials Josh Mogerman and Shannon Fisk said they were concerned about the potential impact of the Baard project given the OEPA's track record when it comes to ensuring companies live up to its environmental regulatory permits," Tom Giambroni, Lisbon Morning Journal.
MORE ON THE PROPOSED BAARD PLANT



Jan 29: U.S. wind energy industry breaks all records, installs nearly 10,000 megawatts in 2009

U.S. wind power

Current cumulative wind capacity by state, in megawatts (MW). In 2009, Texas gained the largest amount of new capacity, bringing the state to 9,410 MW. Iowa ranks second, with 3,670 MW, and California is third, with 2,794 MW. Fourteen states have installed more than 1,000 MW of wind power capacity. Ohio has a total of 7 MW of installed capacity.

WASHINGTON, DC -- "The U.S. wind industry broke all previous records by installing nearly 10,000 megawatts (MW) of new generating capacity in 2009, enough to serve over 2.4 million homes . . . . These new projects place wind power neck and neck with natural gas as the leading source of new electricity generation for the country. Together, the two sources account for about 80% of the new capacity added in the country last year," release, American Wind Energy Association, dated January 26, 2010.

This new report may come as a shock to those who listened to Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland's State of the State speech in which he referred to "our place at the forefront of the energy revolution." The Wind Association reports that, not only does Ohio have a total of only 7 MW of installed capacity, the state added no new capacity in 2009 and appears nowhere in the list of new wind power projects under construction.




Jan 29: Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church helping its counterpart in Haiti

Jacmel, Haiti

NORTH ROYALTON -- "Longtime friends in Cap-Haitien, Jacmel and Port-au-Prince are alive. Simply knowing they are alive, is enough for Rev. David Luecke, missions pastor at Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Royalton and Cleveland resident Lynn Scheerhorn, a liaison to Ohio Hearts for Haiti and the metropolitan network of Lutheran churches... Luecke is Scheerhorn’s mentor. Together, the two have created a network that connects Lutherans living throughout northeast Ohio. There are roughly nine congregations working closely together now to deliver some kind of relief to Haiti. 'I am thankful and I feel incredibly blessed because I know so many people who care and are willing to help,' Scheerhorn said. 'It’s just so hard waiting and wondering. So many people want to go and help. But we also have to be sensible and let first responders get in there and do their job,'" Sara Macho, Sun Star Courier.


Lynn Scheerhorn is Finance Director of Ohio Citizen Action.



Jan 28: In State of the Union speech, Obama ignores the leveling of the Appalachian mountains
Adopts Bush energy policy: nuclear power, drilling, and coal

Stahler cartoon

COLUMBUS -- "In his first State of the Union speech, President Barack Obama did not mention the leveling of the Appalachian mountains underway by the mountaintop removal coal companies. Instead, after the usual bow to 'green jobs' and the dead cap-and-trade bill, Obama set out his new energy policy, which is identical to the energy policy of his predecessor: 'But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives. That means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country. It means making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development. It means continued investment in advanced biofuels and clean coal technologies.' During his presidential campaign in 2008, candidate Obama said he was 'against' mountaintop removal coal mining. Since taking office, he has not said a word about it, letting the U.S. EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers engage in a policy standoff while the destruction continues," Paul Ryder, Organizing Director, Ohio Citizen Action.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The historic cost of the State of the Union: Mr. President, Welcome to the Saudi Arabia of coal, Jeff Biggers, Huffington Post.
MORE ON MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL



Jan 28: National coal ash day of action

COLUMBUS -- "Do you remember the photos of the environmental disaster in December, 2008 when a dike at an 84-acre containment area in Kingston, Tennessee ruptured spilling 1.1 billion gallons of coal ash slurry onto surrounding property and into the Emory and Clinch Rivers? Coal ash contains a brew of toxins that pile up by the ton after coal has been burned to generate electricity. Shockingly, there are absolutely no standards for this waste in the U.S. Please join us, along with individuals and organizations across the country for a National Coal Ash Day of Action on Thursday, January 28. It only takes a minute to write a short email, or make a quick phone call. Tell the White House, EPA, Congress and others they must regulate coal ash to protect all of us from another terrible disaster that could have been prevented," Rachael Belz, Program Organizer, Ohio Citizen Action.
MORE ON COAL-FIRED POWER



Jan 28: Big news (maybe): EPA looking at ‘fill material’ definition

WASHINGTON, DC -- "Buried in a new Rolling Stone magazine profile of Obama EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson is some potentially huge news for coal mining in Appalachia … it seems that EPA has quietly begun re-examining the definition of 'fill material' in its Clean Water Act rules and may make some changes. But if you look closely at what EPA has said, it’s not clear that they’re really going to do what environmentalists would like to … we’re a long way from knowing if this is a big deal," Ken Ward Jr, Charleston Gazette.

Jan 27: Another voice for the mountains: Rep. Chu 162nd co-sponsor of Clean Water Protection Act

WASHINGTON, DC -- "Representative Judy Chu (CA-32) is the 162nd co-sponsor of H.R. 1310 the Clean Water Protection Act, an effective ban on mountaintop removal coal mining. Rep. Chu serves on the Education and Labor, Judiciary, and Oversight and Government Reform committees. She joins six House members from Ohio in co-sponsorship: Steve Driehaus, Marcia Fudge, Mary Jo Kilroy, Dennis Kucinich, Tim Ryan, and Betty Sutton. S. 696, the Appalachia Restoration Act, is a similar bill in the Senate, and has 10 co-sponsors. Neither Ohio senator has co-sponsored the bill. While Senator Sherrod Brown was a member of the U.S. House, he was a co-sponsor of the Clean Water Protection Act. Since June of 2009, Ohio Citizen Action members and friends have sent Senator Brown over 22,000 letters urging him to co-sponsor S. 696," Kate Russell, Organizer, Ohio Citizen Action.
MORE ON MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL



Jan 27: In State of the State speech, Gov. Ted Strickland doesn't mention his biggest 2010 project: Proposed $5 billion Baard coal plant

Avoids use of word "coal" at all


Words in State of the State speeches

In Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland's four State of the State speeches, he has barely said the word "coal," despite his administration's extraordinary commitment to the coal industry's agenda. He only used the word "coal" once in each of his first three speeches, and not at all yesterday. He avoids mentioning coal by labeling his programs "advanced energy," talking extensively about wind and solar, and quietly including subsidies for coal companies.

COLUMBUS -- "Yesterday, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland delivered his fourth State of the State speech to a joint session of the Ohio legislature in Columbus. In the lengthy speech, Strickland did not mention his biggest 2010 project, a proposed $5 billion Baard Energy coal plant for Wellsville on the Ohio River. In fact, in the 5,461-word speech, the word 'coal' doesn't appear at all. When Gov. Strickland's EPA issued the third pollution permit for the project, Baard Energy CEO John Baardson said, 'Some questioned the ability of the project, the State EPA, and Governor Strickland's staff to accomplish this task in such a short time frame. However, due to the leadership of Governor Strickland and the Ohio EPA director, a rigorous work process was established which enabled the issuing of the permits. This type of professional approach will definitely help to create more jobs in Ohio (East Liverpool Review November 22, 2008). In fact, the permits had been pushed through so quickly that they have been tied up in legal challenges ever since," Paul Ryder, Organizing Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
MORE ON THE PROPOSED BAARD PLANT



Jan 27: Suit alleges second Stark landfill has problems with aluminum wastes

AKRON -- "A second landfill in Stark County might have problems with buried aluminum wastes, according to a lawsuit. The possibility of aluminum dross problems at American Landfill near Waynesburg comes in a suit filed in U.S. District Court in Akron. Named defendants are American Landfill Inc. and its parent company, Waste Management Inc., a Texas-based trash hauling-disposal giant. Filing the suit last week were the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Solid Waste Management District; a Stark grass-roots group, Citizens Against American Landfill Expansion; and two of its leaders, Jill Van Voorhis of Sandy Township and Vivian Baier of Osnaburg Township," Bob Downing, Akron Beacon Journal.

CANTON -- Waste district files suit against American Landfill, Robert Wang, Canton Repository.

MORE ON ERAMET



Jan 27: Ohio Citizen Action staff attend President Obama's town hall meeting, urge ban on mountaintop removal


Gerald Abt, Jennifer Roddis, Governor Ted Strickland and Dave Ralph


Dave Ralph, Senator Sherrod Brown and Jennifer Roddis

ELYRIA -- "We were stopped by security when we tried to pass out our flyers about mountaintop removal to people waiting in line for the President's town hall event. We were told by a representative of the Student Life Office that he could not approve the content of the flyer and that the individual who could approve it was unreachable. We were sent to the designated 'free speech area,' located on the opposite end of campus. We decided that it wouldn't be very beneficial for us to stay in a place where there were no people, so we went inside one of the buildings on campus where the speech was being shown on a big screen. We sat down and a few minutes later Governor Strickland came in, we gave him our flyer, and he quickly went on his way. We also gave Senator Brown a flyer and I asked him what the hold-up was on co-sponsoring the Appalachia Restoration Act. He said that he 'has a lot more important things to worry about,' and brushed me off,” Jennifer Roddis, Ohio Citizen Action.

MORE ON MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL



Jan 27: The more things change...
Campaign finance reform still not on agenda of Issue 6 supporters

CLEVELAND -- "Big money is here to stay in national and state politics, judging from last week's controversial Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. But there are viable options to local campaign-finance reform, and if it is indeed going to happen on the local level, now is the time to ride the momentum, says Catherine Turcer of Columbus-based Ohio Citizen Action... 'You use the momentum to keep moving the process,' says Turcer. 'You need to make sure you have good [campaign- finance] rules in place beside the change in government. If you don't take care of it right away, you fall back into the same habits — it's hard work to raise money from alternative sources and not from your employees,'" Damian Guevara, Cleveland Scene.

MORE ON MONEY IN POLITICS



Jan 27: EPA releases results of manganese study of schools

MARIETTA -- "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wrapped up its study of toxic air pollutants at three area schools in early November, and data released Friday indicates a particularly high level of manganese outside Warren Elementary School on Oct. 22... According to the EPA's Washington County facility report for 2008, there are five facilities in the county that release manganese compounds and three facilities that release manganese. Eramet Marietta tops the list with 3,659,572 pounds of manganese compounds released, although a majority of that material is caught by systems at the facility and never actually leaves the site," Ashley Hill, Marietta Times.

MORE ON ERAMET



Jan 26: Baard Energy plans to buy 9 million tons of coal a year for its coal-to-liquid plant. Will it come from mountaintop removal coal companies?

COLUMBUS -- "Baard Energy wants to burn 9 million tons of coal a year in its proposed coal-to-liquid plant in Wellsville, Ohio. Where would it come from? Here’s what the company says in its September 2007 “Project Summary” which remains the most recent account on the Baard Energy website: 'The Project expects to use a combination of eastern bituminous coal and biomass to produce fuels including ultra low sulfur FT diesel, jet fuel and naphtha, all with a lower emissions profile than traditional petroleum based products,'" Paul Ryder, Organizing Director, Ohio Citizen Action. 152 KB doc.
MORE ON THE PROPOSED BAARD PLANT



Jan 26: Old senator, new tricks
What’s behind Robert Byrd’s surprising smackdown of Big Coal?

WASHINGTON, DC -- "As a rule, politicians in West Virginia don't care for environmentalists. This is, after all, a state that supplies 50 percent of U.S. coal exports, a state where the mining industry is responsible for roughly 30,000 jobs—a state that essentially depends on pollution for its survival. And West Virginia's most prominent coal champion has long been Robert Byrd, who once slammed green critics of mining as 'head-in-the-cloud individuals' out to destroy jobs and impoverish the region. In 2008, Byrd was the lone Senate Democrat to vote against even starting debate on a bill to curb carbon-dioxide emissions. So just about everyone was shocked when, last month, Byrd did an about-face and wrote an op-ed that criticized modern-day mining practices and accused the coal industry of 'having its head in the sand' on climate change," Jesse Zwick, The New Republic.
MORE ON MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL



Jan 26: Arcelor Mittal shortlisted for anti-green award



CAPE TOWN, South Africa -- "Steel giant Arcelor Mittal's Vanderbijlpark plant has been shortlisted for an infamous international environmental award to be announced alongside the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos this week... The Indian steel giant Arcelor Mittal was nominated for a number of reasons, including that it was not only the largest, but also the filthiest steelworks in South Africa," Eleanor Momberg, Sunday Independent. Published January 24.
MORE ON ARCELOR-MITTAL



Jan 26: National Parks Conservation Association celebrates successes in 2009

WASHINGTON, DC -- "When American Municipal Power announced plans for a power plant in Ohio that would threaten air quality at Shenandoah National Park and exceed acceptable emissions limits established by law, NPCA challenged the permit. We are delighted to announce that on November 25th, American Municipal Power announced the cancellation of its plan to build a new 960-megawatt coal-fired power plant, delivering a victory for Shenandoah National Park and ensuring clean air in the region," National Parks Conservation Association.
MORE ON THE CANCELED AMP COAL PLANT



Jan 26: Manchin promises review of coal critics' complaints


Raleigh County resident Bo Webb tells the media about his meeting on mountaintop removal Monday with Gov. Joe Manchin. (Chip Ellis/Charleston Gazette)

CHARLESTON, WV -- "Gov. Joe Manchin on Monday promised to review citizen complaints about lax enforcement of strip-mining regulations and urged the coal industry and its critics to discuss their differences without resorting to violence and intimidation. 'What we're looking for is trying to find a balance,' Manchin said after a private meeting with coalfield residents, environmentalists and several academics who have studied coal's negative impacts. 'You would like to think there's got to be some common ground,'" Ken Ward Jr., Charleston Gazette.

CHARLESTON, WV -- Manchin calls for dialogue in the coalfields, "Goldman Environmental Prize winner Maria Gunnoe was at the meeting. She, too, called for dialogue between regulators, the coal industry and the environmental community. 'The people in the coalfields are reaching out to you,' she said. 'Don’t be a brick wall,'" Erica Peterson, West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

CHARLESTON, WV -- Gov. Manchin aims for balance between mining, environmentalists, Mannix Porterfield, Register-Herald.


Watch video of the press conference
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Jan 26: Ohio Citizen Action nominated for Cincinnati City Beat’s “Best Of” issue

CINCINNATI -- "In recognition of Ohio Citizen Action’s campaign to stop mountaintop removal coal mining, local independent weekly newspaper City Beat nominated the group for its annual ‘Best Of’ issue. The organization was nominated for Best Cause, campaign director Melissa English received a nod for Best Do-Gooder and last August’s Music for the Mountains benefit was nominated for Best Fundraiser. Online voting is open until Sunday, February 21st and results will appear in the March 31st issue. For details or to cast your votes, visit citybeat.com," Ohio Citizen Action.
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Jan 25: Watch the complete Kennedy-Blankenship debate on coal



CHARLESTON, WV -- "Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship and Waterkeeper Alliance President Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. debated the role of coal, and its future, as part of the United State’s energy supply. Topics ranged from use of renewable energy, employment rate within the coal industry, mountaintop removal coal mining, economic benefits and costs, and the costs of human health impacts. Staged at the University of Charleston, West Virginia, the debate was broadcast live on the internet by local television stations,” Kate Russell, Organizer, Ohio Citizen Action.
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Jan 25: Anatomy of a victory


CLEVELAND -- "Ohio Citizen Action began a campaign in September, 2007 to stop American Municipal Power’s (AMP) plans to build a new 1,000 megawatt coal-fired power plant in Meigs County, Ohio. The campaign was an uphill battle. It was called ‘one of the toughest coal plant pro- posals to stop’ by organizers throughout the country working together to move beyond coal. In fact, in 2009 alone there were 26 coal plant proposals that were defeated or abandoned in the US," Ohio Citizen Action.
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Jan 25: New study links C8 to thyroid disease

PARKERSBURG, WV -- "A report released this week by the journal Environmental Health Perspectives said a study by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences found an association between C8 and thyroid disease in adults. The study, according to the report, revealed people with higher concentrations of PFOA (C8) in their blood have higher rates of thyroid disease. The researchers analyzed samples from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey... C8 is used in the manufacture process of Teflon and can be found in other stain and water-resistant coatings for carpets and fabrics," Pamela Brust, Parkersburg News and Sentinel. Published January 23.

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Jan 22: Blankenship, Kennedy debate coal's future

debate
Environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., right, debates Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship at the University of Charleston.

CHARLESTON, WV -- "Several times during the event, Kennedy cited the recent statement by Sen. Robert D. Byrd, D-W.Va., urging the coal industry to 'embrace the future' and chiding environmentalists for being unrealistic in thinking the nation could simply stop all coal production. 'We're not going to get rid of all mining in this state, and I'm not advocating that,' Kennedy said. '[But] the state needs to start diversifying and transitioning to a new energy economy.' Blankenship responded that West Virginia's laws are too difficult to comply with and its legal climate too harsh on businesses. And, he said those who attack the coal industry are attacking their neighbors who work in the industry -- 'the people who are teaching your Sunday schools and coaching your Little League.' But Kennedy said coal operators are only able to compete in the world energy market by shifting onto society the costs of the pollution, workplace safety and climate change impacts of their product. 'All of these costs are imposed on the rest of us,' Kennedy said. 'We should have free markets with no subsidies. If we did that, there is no way your industry could compete,'" Ken Ward, Jr., Charleston Gazette.

CHARLESTON, WV -- Mountaintop mining: Coal baron debates a Kennedy, Tim Huber and Tom Breen, Associated Press.

CHARLESTON, WV -- Energy debate yields little middle ground, Tom Zeller, Jr., Green Inc, New York Times.

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Jan 22: Group: Baard emission claims, permits don’t match

LISBON -- "An environmental activist organization criticized for warning federal regulators about the possible ramifications of the Baard Energy project say it is within it rights to do so and will continue to act in this manner. 'We want the law to be followed and told the (U.S.) Department of Energy that. We believe that's within our rights,' said Shannon Fisk, an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. The NRDC, along with the Sierra Club, have appealed the state and federal decisions to award the permits needed for Baard to build a $6 billion coal-to-liquid fuel conversion plant on property in the Wellsville area the Columbiana County Port Authority intends to purchase," Tom Giambroni, Salem News.
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Jan 22: EPA vows to do all it can for school's air
USA Today map

MARIETTA -- "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pledged Thursday to 'use all the tools at our disposal' to reduce high levels of a toxic chemical that continues to permeate the air outside an elementary school in Marietta, Ohio. The chemical, manganese, can affect children in much the same way as lead. Government scientists have concluded that long-term exposure can cause mental disabilities and emotional problems. The EPA plans to release data today that show high levels of manganese outside a cluster of schools in and near Marietta. One air sample — taken Oct. 22, 2009, outside Warren Elementary — shows manganese levels that were 23 times above what the EPA considers safe for long-term exposure," Blake Morrison and Brad Heath, USA Today.

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Jan 21: Shake up at the Sierra Club? Group names new Executive Director

Mike Brune
The Sierra Club has picked Mike Brune to replace Carl Pope as the organization's executive director.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- "The board of directors of the Sierra Club has picked Mike Brune to replace Carl Pope as the organization's executive director. Pope, who will take a seat on the group's board of directors, has headed the US's largest environmental group since 1992, and his departure has been planned for close to a year. Since 2003, Brune has been the executive director of Rainforest Action Network (RAN), a San Francisco-based group that runs corporate accountability campaigns to halt clearcut logging, mountaintop removal coal mining, industrial palm plantations, and the tar sands extraction in western Canada, among other types of environmental destruction. RAN regularly grabs headlines for its Greenpeace-style protests against corporate targets such as Bank of America, Royal Bank of Canada, logging giant Weyerhauser, and Home Depot," Jason Mark, Earth Island Journal.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- New Sierra Club chief brings confrontational style to the job, The new leader of the US's largest environmental group will come to the job with a record of 'environmental agitation' against big industrial polluters, from Grist, part of the Guardian Environment Network.




Jan 21: Young punk rockers revive folk songs for a new generation

The Tillers

CINCINNATI -- "'The Tillers, a Cincinnati-based folk trio, specialize in creating scenes one might expect to have seen during the Great Depression, if not for the tattooed punk rockers sprinkled throughout the crowd and the listeners on cellphones in the back. 'I Ain't Got No Home'--one of several Woody Guthrie melodies featured in this show--was first recorded about seventy years ago. But considering the sky-high number of foreclosed houses the recent economic crisis has spawned across the country, the music is eerily relevant today... Given the number of songs they play about being penniless and itinerant, it isn't surprising that The Tillers have done their part by performing at homelessness benefits. In addition to food and clothing drives, their musical interest in coal mining songs led to an interest in current mining issues. They recently worked with Ohio Citizen Action to combat mountaintop removal," Geoffrey Dobbins, The Nation.

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Jan 20: Colbert Report takes down Big Coal: Save the endangered hillbilly (video)



NEW YORK, NY -- "'Goodbye purple mountain's majesty--here comes Patriot Coal! Last night on the Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert hosted scientist Margaret Palmer in a brilliant takedown of the Obama administration's recent decision to green light more mountaintop removal permits, in light of a blockbuster new scientific study that concluded that "mining permits are being issued despite the preponderance of scientific evidence that impacts are pervasive and irreversible and that mitigation cannot compensate for losses," Jeff Biggers, Huffington Post.

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Jan 20: The coal ash case

NEW YORK, NY -- "One internal EPA proposal suggested reclassifying coal ash as a hazardous material subject to federal regulation. It also recommended national standards requiring safe, sturdy disposal facilities. Industry counterattacked, arguing that the hazardous designation would ruin the recycling market and could trigger burdensome new investments. It also argued for continued state control, with the federal government providing 'guidance.' These arguments do not hold up. The real problem is the 60 percent or so of the coal ash that winds up in porous landfills," editorial, New York Times.

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Jan 20: Cuyahoga County commissioners will rehire two accountants, breaking buyout rules

CLEVELAND -- "Cuyahoga County commissioners will break their own rules Thursday by rehiring two accountants one week after the workers took taxpayer-financed buyouts... Catherine Turcer, of the watchdog group Ohio Citizen Action, was flummoxed by the rationale. 'This kind of revolving door of employment is unfair," Turcer said. "It also highlights the need to better prepare all employees for transitions. At any point, one of us may win the lottery or get hit by a bus. It's sad to think that the county is so badly prepared,'" Laura Johnston, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
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