Appalachia Rising is a mass mobilization in Washington, DC, September 25-27, 2010, calling for an end to the devastating practice of mountaintop removal mining. Mountaintop removal has already destroyed over 500 of the world’s oldest mountains and more than 2,000 miles of streams, and has contaminated our nation’s waters. Together, we will bring Appalachia’s cry to our nation’s capital: We must end mountaintop removal and transform the economies of Appalachia away from destructive mining practices and toward clean-energy jobs and a sustainable and healthy future.
Join thousands of Appalachian and national leaders, policymakers, coalfield residents and miners, concerned citizens, activists, mountain groups, environmental justice organizations, and Americans from coast to coast for this momentous movement-building summit, gathering, and call to action. Hear the voices of those most impacted by mountaintop removal coal mining, and let your voice be heard in this movement to offer America hope for a better future.
Come and Join the Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards for a Weekend in Wise County!! We would love to have you experience Mini Workshops, Coal Camp and Mountaintop Removal Tours, along with good free food, fun music and fellowship!
Feel free to table at this event with us to promote the work you do in your community so we can learn from each other.
More info on rooms and registration coming soon. Stay tuned!
We are proud to announce that SAMS has endorsed, and will be attending in full force, the conference: Voices from the Mountains which is a part of the Appalachia Rising mobilization. Read on to learn more about the conference and our Roanoke fundraiser that we hope our allies will attend to help us get to the conference.
Appalachia Rising: Voices from the Mountains is a conference held in Washington DC on September 25-26, 2010 calling for the abolition of mountaintop removal and surface mining in Appalachia. It is a time for the national movement against strip mining to assemble and grow through a weekend of strategizing, workshops, learning, and cultural events. We envision a vibrant weekend during which thousands will learn about the challenges Appalachia faces and ways to build a movement to end the destruction and plant the seeds of a sustainable and prosperous Appalachia.
SAMS Fundraiser, Coal Country showing September 3rd in Roanoke
We’re working hard to raise money to bring SAMS to the Appalachia Rising conference, and we really help our allies can help us out by attending our Roanoke fundraiser on September 3rd. We’ll be showing the film, Coal Country at The Shadowbox, a locally owned and operated theater in Roanoke. Proceeds from the event will support us in mobilizing for Appalachia Rising, plus its a great opportunity to learn more about mountaintop removal. SAMS members will be answering questions after the screening.
We’ve been working hard, and now the first edition of the Mountain Steward Quarterly, the first regular SAMS publication, is finished. While the print copies will take a while to circulate through the mail, you can check out an online copy right now!
This edition of the Mountain Steward Quarterly contains articles about our fight to Keep Ison Rock Ridge Standing, one members struggle with coal dust in Stonega, an update on the Wise Energy Forums, and much more.
All SAMS members can expect a copy in the mail in the coming weeks.
SAMS would like to thank all of the contributing authors, as well as Barbara Mullins, Judy Needham, and Cecil Sizemore for allowing us to interview them. We’d like to especially thank Erika Broach, Nina Leone, and Hannah Morgan for all their hard work in editing, laying out, and doing everything else that needed doing.
Please join SAMS in calling Senator Jim Webb on Monday July 26th and ask that he “KEEP ISON ROCK RIDGE STANDING” and support the communities of southwestern Virginia in our fight against mountain top removal coal mining.
We are asking Senator Webb to:
Thank the EPA for all they have done to protect coalfield communities from surface coal mining and
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
Questions, comments, or to find out how to take further action, please contact Nina at the Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards office: (276) 523-4380