This just in via a copy of an e-mail sent to Gov. Joe Manchin’s office:
As per our phone conversation I am writing to request a meeting with Governor Manchin. Many of us are very concerned about both the short term and long term effects of mountaintop removal.
I would like to have a meeting with the Governor in order to express those concerns and provide facts as to why the Governor should also be concerned with this type of mining practice.
I would like to bring a total of no less than 6 people with me. The people I desire to attend are Dr. Ben Stout, Dr, Michael Hendryx, Jack Spadaro, Robert Kennedy Jr., Rory McIImoil, Judy Bonds, Janet Fout, Vernon Haltom.
I would not object to Bill Raney being in attendance if the Governor so desired. The Governor just last week publicly stated that no one from the environmental side had requested a meeting with him concerning MTR. I am asking.
Unlike the Governor’s closed door meeting with industry and certain politicians I propose that our meeting be open to reporters. Mountaintop removal is a concern to a majority of West Virginians. I believe the Governor’s comments and views on MTR should be heard by all. However, if the Governor has a difference of opinion with good reason, I would be willing to have a private meeting as well.
Please let me know at your earliest convenience as to the Governor’s availability and willingness to meet with us so that I may contact those I have mentioned.
Respectfully,
Bo Webb
I wonder if Gov. Manchin will arrange for Sen. Rockefeller, Reps. Rahall and Capito and top members of the governor’s staff to also attend. Stay tuned.
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I was wondering if someone would do this, after last week’s meeting with coal proponents. It will be interesting to see what happens.
If Manchin does not agree to meet with Bo and the rest of the esteemed people listed, it should be a wake up call for all West Virginians. Let’s just see what happens. I hope the media will be present and all is out in the open unlike the meeting of Manchin and the coal people and the elected representatives.
Why the change in tactics. Why not just chain yourselves to the front door like always.
A classy, respectful, reasonable e-mail. I hope that the governor will allow the other side of the debate some time talking to him, as well, and I hope he does not simply hear what they are saying — I hope he listens.
Variety is the spice of life – the same applies to tactics in a movement. It makes for a spicy movement.
I could also ask why pro coal people changed tactics this time.
Usually the coal leadership (including some elected officials) use tactics that deliberately incites fear and paranoia in the workers in order to rile some miners’ emotions up to the point that they bully people at picnics, threaten people (including children), slap people, vandalize property and deny people their first amendment rights at public hearings to discourage future public participation.
…… and Robert Kennedy Jr ….. Sounds like a meeting to impress the Gov. What is Jr’s stated expertise?
Gov. Manchin made his fortune as a col broker. Let us not lose site of this.
We haven’t lost sight of how he made his money. Besides he clearly has demostrated his loyalties from day one.
Robert Kennedy Jr.’s expertise can be summarized by these top three areas 1) Water 2) The Law 3) Coal’s political stranglehold on American democracy.
All of the hoopla about not being invited to the meeting last week was just that, hoopla. You folks complained about not being invited to the meeting….. I see no Coal Excecs on your wish list. Once again you prove to be hypocrits. If it were right that you should have been invited……why is right one way but not the other?????
coal is great, it is called equal time. It is called being fair. It is called not playing favoritism. I don’ t think that is hard to understand.
Hey Bo said he didn’t even have objections to Bill Raney being there, did the coal executives and the governor offer to include anyone from the environmental community to their meeting? I don’t believe that they did.
What is so special about Mr Webb that he deserves a personal meeting with the gov. Nanette, life, like a lot of things, isnt fair.
Judy Bonds… I have never been asked by any one in coal industry management to fight for coal miners. This state produces the best coal miners and the best coal industry. I have and will continue to support the coal industry. Your information about “usaully use tactics to insite fear in the workers” is wrong. The fine folks that I know in the industry just want to work. These miners enjoy the job. You will continue to see large numbers of miners attending future events because they WANT to work, because they want to support a family and because the miners heart is in the job at hand. Miners know that the actions taken by the enviros will either put them on the road to unemployment or the road to another state to find work. These coal miners are smart and will stand up to be heard. Did you think they would roll over and play dead for you? It does not take courage to be arrested, or to chain one to a tree or piece of equipment. The true courage is shown everyday when these men and women go to work. How can you insult the MINERS in the way that you have?
Coal-
It is the violent threats, intimidation, harassment, battery and property destruction that coal supporters are using that is unlawful and out of line. How can anyone decent do this to people and not expect us to shine a light on it? Decent people don’t use violence to get their way. It is the coal industry that the miners should be standing up to.
I have not insulted any miners. The miner’s use of violence has done damage to themselves. You tube is full of the evidence.
We are Americans and deserve the same right to be heard at hearings without fear of violence from those that believe different.
Right here on this blog you insulted us and resorted to name calling. You called us “hypocrits”??
Over 100 people have been arrested from the anti-mining side. I know of two pro-coal folks arrested. Who gets arrested… people that have committed a crime. I think your first paragraph is strongly mis-leading. Please don’t tell me how anti mining is peaceful, nothing is peaceful about being arrested 100 + times.
“Please don’t tell me how anti mining is peaceful, nothing is peaceful about being arrested 100 + times.”
Ha ha! So I guess people like Gandhi or Dr. King were right up there with Al Capone! Public enemy no 1!
[...] asked for the meeting back in November, after Manchin held his closed-door summit with coal executives to come up with a strategy for [...]