It was a good effort by Gov. Joe Manchin and our state’s congressional delegation to meet with environmentalists to hear their side of the fight, but, comments from one of the participants leads us to believe the environmentalist groups aren’t looking for compromise.
We believe the environmentalists used the meeting as another way to draw statewide and national attention to their fight. Even though we know he was wanting to appease the environmentalists after excluding them from the earlier meeting with state officials, Gov. Manchin shouldn’t give the environmentalists such a high-profile soapbox.
State officials knew in advance that no minds would be changed as a result of the meeting. The meeting was pointless since the outcome was predictable.
And, as one environmentalist said, job loss isn’t their top concern. They merely want the surface mining industry shut down.
They use statements like “the extermination of our mountains and our communities” in reference to surface mining because they are trying to push people’s buttons with such strong words. That’s the way they rally people to their cause and they made good use of the governor’s podium as a soapbox.
We need the flat land and the jobs surface mining provides. State officials have vowed to make sure the surface mining process is improved to help save the environment. Officials from the coal industry have said they want to improve surface mining to better preserve the environment. We really hope the environmentalists are willing to compromise.
The governor and the congressional delegation may have had the best intentions and honestly want to reach a peaceful compromise, but, it’s not going to happen. All the meetings in th world wouldn’t change their minds. While the governor and state officials want to find a common middleground for a compromise, we doubt that environmentalists are truly wanting to work toward compromise and will, instead, continue to stand fight coal mining — in all its forms.
It's really hard to accept a "compromise" when you see everything you hold dear - from the home your grandparents built by hand, to your family pets, to your family's & neighbor's health, to the mountains you've loved all your life - being destroyed.
We do NOT need anymore flat land!! Anyone who thinks that needs to move to someplace like Kansas. And current surface mining practices are only diminishing the # of mining jobs in the state and region. IF surface mining operators were totally following the laws in their activities, there wouldn't be anything for citizens to challenge. These are WV citizens who are leading the way in getting laws enforced and strengthened, BTW - NOT outsiders who will move from state to state.
C'mon brothers and sisters, some of you might have been born & rested beside me in the nursery at Mann Gen. hospital about 45 years ago, and some of you may have survived Buffalo Ck. - which is about when my family left Logan Co. To all true Mountaineers - wake up!!!
First the citizens asked for the meeting because they were excluded from an earlier meeting with county commissioners and coal executives who met to talk about the importance and impact of coal on the state. Citizens impacted by the mining were not given a voice at that meeting.
When the arrangements were finally made for the meeting reported on here, citizens talked about the direct impacts some of our biggest mines are having on their homes and lives. Scientists were also present to talk about the environment.
As important as the citizens having a chance to talk with the Governor, Congressional and industry representatives, was Governor Manchin's statements about dampening the increased tension and threats of intimidation in communities near these big mines.
He specifically said: "We will not in any way, shape or form in this state of West Virginia tolerate any violence against anyone on any side. If you’re going to have the dialogue, have respect for each other."
The citizens at the meeting all respectfully called for this to be the first of many meetings to carry on that dialogue.