Coal Mine Opposition Group Contacts Senator Sessions
August 17th, 2009The Friends of Blount County have a new blog, and a new strategy to fight the coal mine coming into their community. They have contacted U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions, an avid conservative Republican and a friend of big coal and every other big corporate interest in the land, and they are asking him to oppose the mine.
Maybe they have a chance, since the company planning the coal mine, the Mcoal Corporation, is out of Vancouver, Canada — and are only providing about 20 jobs.
We just got a call from Melisa Shute in Senator Jeff Sessions Office in Washington. She is investigating the Rosa Coal Mine for Senator Sessions and will write a report on the mine for him to review. She said one of the things Senator Sessions is going to want to know is how many jobs would be created for the area. We told her less than 20 jobs are likely and that the economic benefit of this mine is minuscule compared to the damage, pain and suffering of hundreds of folks who will be impacted. We also pointed out that the company is too small and incapable of doing a mine of this proposed size.
She asked what we would like for Senator Sessions to do and we told her we want him to voice his opposition to this mine, especially to the Alabama Surface Mining Commission.
She said Senator Sessions was surprised to hear about the mine. It seemed to come out of the blue. We told her that’s the way we felt too. She said she was going to call ADEM and ASMC to investigate further. She fell short of saying Senator Sessions would oppose the mine.
We need to send his office lots of opposition while the iron is hot and his staff is actually looking at the issue. Please send the Senator a hand written letters (best), typed letters or emails, right now!
Senator Jeff Sessions
335 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4124
August 18th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
This just in via e-mail:
A CALL TO ACTION
Blount county is about to be changed from the home we know unless we act quickly and directly.
The Canadian based MCoal corporation is seeking a permit from the Alabama surface mine commission to ravage and rape our County, making 3000+ acres a coal mine. This foreign corporation has no interest in our State, County, towns, area citizens, or our serenity.
The majority of land owners who have sold their mineral rights live outside Blount County as well.
There are NO GOOD REASONS to allow this permit be issued.
There are however many, many reasons to stop the issuance of this permit.
They include health, safety, water quality, destruction of forest, both air and noise pollution, dumping of coal waste-water and toxins, decrease of property values, damage to county roads, and the negative change in the quality of life. THESE ARE JUST A FEW!
I pray and urge each concerned citizen to GET INVOLVED. Allowing Blount County to become a “coal mine” will affect us all. Write down your specific concerns and objections and voice them at the Mining
Commission hearing which will soon be announced.
For any questions you may have you may contact ” A Concerned
Citizen about the Rosa Mine” at 205-625-6206
Stephanie & Harvey Palmer
Cleveland, AL
August 19th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Dear Blount Countians who have concerns about the proposed Rosa Mine,
I am upset and concerned that there are no elected officials willing to add their voices to ours.
They may show up at a meeting (looks good/accomplishes nothing), but will they write a letter to the Alabama Surface Mining Commission???
And tell them their constituents are concerned that:
The water we drink may be subject to contamination;
The coal operation will put coal dust in the air we breathe and we will develop lung diseases;
Our barely maintained roads will deteriorate even faster;
Our insurance rates will rise;
Our wells could go “bad”;
Our properties could be flooded with a toxic sludge from flooding that only “Mother Nature” can foretell;
Our properties will decrease in value,
Our river, which has been slowly recovering from the last mining operation, will suffer degradation and loss of aquatic life again,
Neighbors, our opportunities to have an impact on the permitting of this proposed mining operation is slim. ADEM has already told us we are too late for them to listen to any of our concerns. The Alabama Surface Mining Commission (ASMC) will hold one public meeting to accept comments and concerns which they are required by law to address. Here is what you can do:
Mail a letter addressed to:
Alabama Surface Mining Commission
PO BOX 2390
Jasper, AL. 35502-2390
Permit # P-3931
If any of the concerns above ring true, describe them in detail and ask the ASMC how they are going to protect you in regards to these concerns. Send a copy of your letter to them and to these other public officials:
Chairman of Commission
Probate Judge David Standridge
220 2nd Ave E., Rm 106
Oneonta, AL 35121
District 1:
David Cochran
220 2nd Ave E., Rm 106
Oneonta, AL 3512
District 2:
Robert Bullard
220 2nd Ave E., Rm 106
Oneonta, AL 35121
District 3:
Tom Ryan
220 2nd Ave E., Rm 106
Oneonta, AL 35121
District 4:
Waymon Pitts
220 2nd Ave E., Rm 106
Oneonta, AL 35121
(205) 625-3473
Administrator Chris Green (205) 625-4160
City of Oneonta Mayor Darryl Ray
202 3rd. Avenue East
Oneonta, AL 35121
City of Rosa
Mayor Andy Ellis
62 Ellis Dr.
Oneonta Alabama 35121.
City of Cleveland
Mayor Larry Longshore
Cleveland Town Hall
62732 U. S. Highway 231
Cleveland, AL 35049-3669
City of Blountsville
Mayor Randy Millwood
Blountsville Town Hall
10017 Lee St. W.
Blountsville, AL 35031
Phone: (205) 429-2406
Bring a signed copy of your letter to the public meeting which will be held at the Frank Green Building (ASMC will publish meeting date soon). Come to this meeting with every friend , relative, and neighbor you can lasso. (You can bet MCoal will try to pack this meeting with their beneficiaries). If you can’t attend the meeting, send a signed copy to us:
“Concerned Citizens about the Rosa Mine”
PO Box 1133
Blountsville, AL 35031
We will see that your letter (hopefully with a big stack of letters) is recorded and becomes a formal record of comments that the ASMC must acknowledge and respond to.
If our elected officials won’t stand up for us- we know what we have to do- elect different leaders!
Jerry Gordon-Hellman
Blountsville, Al. 35031
September 8th, 2009 at 11:25 am
An Investigation is underway as to the secrecy and Political involvement that has allowed this mining operation to sneak in on the Rosa/Cleveland citizens.
A class action will be filed in regards to endangerment, neglect, and political wrongdoing.
Email comments and become a plaintiff when the time comes.
We are especially wanting to hear from anyone in direct eye shot or within 2500 feet of any proposed drilling , reservoir, or obvious work site. This includes if your driveway accesses any road traveled continuously by coal haulers and heavy equipment.
If you own a pond of any size it is important that you have your water tested “Now” . The runoffs that comes down from the mountains effected will certainly be deadly to any aquatic environment and stock.
Please email comments and geographic position to HK@AlabamaPrivateDetective.com or call between 8am. and 11am. daily. at 205-237-0106
Be a plaintiff,….Not A Victim.
Attend the meetings and show your support.