Donate by mail:
Mountain Justice
PO Box 86
Naoma, WV 25140
A unique combination of music, visuals, and community involvement,
"Still Moving Mountains: The Journey Home"
unleashes the passion and urgency empowering the movement against mountaintop removal at this critical moment. The
album includes all facets of the movement for justice and progress in Central Appalachia.
All proceeds from the album go to assist grassroots organizations like Mountain Justice and
local community groups to help raise awareness of the impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining.
Call Senator Webb and ask We are asking the senator to step to to 1. Thank
the EPA for all they have done to protect coalfield communities from surface
coal mining and 2. Ask the EPA to continue to intervene with the Ison Rock
Ridge water permit.
To reach Senator Webb's DC office call: 202-224-4024
or Toll Free: 1-866-507-1570
MARFORK, W.Va.—Protestors associated with Climate Ground Zero and Mountain Justice have locked to and shut down a highwall miner on Coal River Mountain today. Colin Flood, 22, and Katie Huszcza, 21, are locked to the mining equipment on Massey Energy's Bee Tree Surface Mine, near to the Brushy Fork Sludge Impoundment. Their banner states "Save Coal River Mountain" alongside images of ginseng, a morel, a deer and a bear.
WHERE: WV State Capitol Back Steps Near Fountain, Charleston, WV
WHAT: On June 15 at the capital in Charleston, WV, coalfield residents and allies from across Appalachia will announce Appalachia Rising a mass mobilization set for September 27 in Washington DC. They are calling for thousands to join them in demanding the Obama Administration abolish surface mining and investment in sustainable economic diversification in Appalachia. Groups aim to mobilize thousands from across the country for a dignified day of action in DC to increase public pressure on elected officials and regulators to ban surface mining.
Monday, June 7, 2010 CONTACTS: Ashley Browning 859-248-7027, Martin Mudd 859-963-5574
Lexington Protest Shames PNC's Mountaintop Removal Financing PNC Bank is the biggest US financier of Appalachian mountain destruction
LEXINGTON, KY--At least 40 concerned citizens rallied in downtown Lexington today to express their anger at PNC Bank for financing mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mining. Local activists were joined by members of the group Mountain Justice and residents from mountaintop communities, who spoke out about the direct impact that this destructive form of mining has on their community, health and environment.
Join MTR abolitionist group Mountain Justice in Lexington, KY, Monday
6/7 at 11:30 on the courthouse lawn to send a strong message that we
will no longer tolerate the criminal destruction of our mountains,
streams and communities.
This rally marks the beginning of a summer of non-violent direct
action in Kentucky to pressure corporations, banks, politicians and
regulators to end destructive strip mining for coal and help build
sustainable economies in Appalachia.
There will be inspiring speakers, street theater, and environmental
justice activists young and old so this action will be a lot of fun.
Come during your lunch hour to stand in solidarity with our fellow
Kentuckians in the coalfields!
We will meet at 11:30 on the courthouse lawn at the corner of
Limestone and Main in downtown Lexington. Contact Martin at if you
have questions.
Non-violent protestors are facing steep fines, court fees and jail time for the escalation in civil disobedience this past summer. Can you help support
the brave men and women who have put it all on the line to stop the crime of mountaintop removal?
Any amount you can give will help - $5, $20, $50 or as much as you can afford.
We need to raise more than $50,000 ASAP for the legal defense fund.
Or send a check payable to: "Mountain Justice - Legal Defense" PO Box 86, Naoma WV 25140
Can you help organize a fundraising event in you town? Can you provide legal assistance? Can your college, university or organization host speakers on MTR and provide
a big speaking honorarium? We have a fast-growing crew of speakers willing to go on the road to help raise money,
but we need more gigs and more speakers. Contact us if you can help.
THANK YOU!
“Voices
for Appalachia”
Written and Narrated by Hundreds
An Appalachia Portrait-Story Project
In early March of 2008, The Portrait-Story Project came for the first time to the Southern Highlands of
North America. The results, now available for posterity have come to be known as "Voices for Appalachia - A Portrait-Story Project - Written and Narrated
by Hundreds." (voicesforappalachia.org)
These portraits indicate every community that The Portrait-Story Project bottom-liners had the privilege of co-generating content with during their nearly
two years of travels. Dozens of households embodied this "art-media-social phenomenon" by inviting these creatives amongst themselves, kin, neighbors and associates,
supplying them with bed, board and morale for their volunteer service and then asserting their narratives upon the original drawing of themselves. As awareness of The
Portrait-Story Project spread throughout Appalachia, it tended to keep manifesting, provided specific request or an explicit desire to participate, which happened by
word of mouth or e-mail, and hospitality upon arrival.
On these Appalachian Portrait-Stories we have a panorama of expressions: snippets of everyday life, celebration of the land and culture and struggles for
empowerment or at least survival - as handwritten by those living it. In a few cases where an otherwise able participant stated their illiteracy, a relative by
blood or marital commitment volunteered to write their words for them and annotated so.
We are very proud to be able to present this body of over 500 Appalachian Portrait-Stories originals. If you have adequate interior wall space within
Appalachia to exhibit the bulk of this original art and handwriting at approximately eye level, and desire this precious, unique collection for your public
event, then contact United Mountain Defense; umdvolunteerhouse [at] yahoo.com or 865-689-2778.
There
is a manmade ecological disaster of geologic proportions occurring
in the rolling mountains of the southern Appalachians; its
called mountain range -- or Mountain Top Removal (MTR) mining.
It is the ultimate in theft of a people's heritage -- the
destruction of watersheds -- and the annihilation of one of
the most diverse places on earth.
Mission Statement
Mountain Justice seeks to add to the growing
anti-MTR citizens movement. Specifically Mountain Justice
demands an abolition of MTR, steep slope strip mining and
all other forms of surface
mining for coal. We work to protect the cultural and natural
heritage of the Appalachia coal fields. We work to contribute
with grassroots organizing, public education, nonviolent
civil disobedience and other forms of citizen action.
Historically coal companies have engaged in violence and
property destruction when faced with citizen opposition to
their activities. Mountain Justice is committed to nonviolence
and will
not be engaged in property destruction.
We work together to create diverse and sustainable economies in
Appalachian regions traditionally dominated by the coal industry by
supporting businesses, jobs and ways of living that are not environmentally
or culturally destructive and are nourishing to the social and biological fabric of healthy communities.
In early March of 2008, The Portrait-Story Project came for the first time to the Southern Highlands of
North America. The results, now available for posterity have come to be known as "Voices for Appalachia - A Portrait-Story Project - Written and Narrated
by Hundreds." (
On these Appalachian Portrait-Stories we have a panorama of expressions: snippets of everyday life, celebration of the land and culture and struggles for
empowerment or at least survival - as handwritten by those living it. In a few cases where an otherwise able participant stated their illiteracy, a relative by
blood or marital commitment volunteered to write their words for them and annotated so.
