rainforest action network

By Annie Sartor

Cross-Posted from the Understory

 This morning six local activists from Chicago climbed over a fence at the Crawford coal plant, scaled a mountain of coal, and unfurled a huge 7′ x 30′ banner reading “Close Chicago’s Toxic Coal Plants.” The toxic Crawford plant operates in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago and is surrounded on all sides by homes, shops, restaurants and schools.

Cross-posted from RAN’s Understory

by Nell Greenberg

Mountaintop removal is an American tragedy. Plain and simple.

The practice destroys hundreds of Appalachian mountains, contaminates drinking water and sacrifices America’s communities for small seams of coal.

Repost from the RAN Understory

by Amanda Starbuck

I’m saying ‘Thank you’ this week to PNC bank — which has just released its public position on Mountaintop Removal (MTR) Coal Mining.

Here’s PNC’s policy in full — and a key extract:

We’ve waged a long hard campaign against Wall Street the past 4 years to stop them from financing mountaintop removal.  Now we’re seeing some results!  Hooray for everyone who joined our work to stop MTR financing.

Top 4 US banks curb loans for destructive practice; Cut financing for Massey Energy

RAN activists just disrupted Massey CEO Don Blankenship’s talk at the National Press Club sending him a strong message:“Your coal is not Clean, Safe or Forever.” They were eventually escorted out by security.

Pictures. Video.

Chase: Stop Funding MTR

May 6 Day of Action Against Chase’s Mountaintop Removal Investments

Join Rainforest Action Network and allies all over Appalachia and the country in stopping Chase’s investments in mountaintop removal.

Great article in Mother Jones about Chase’s financing of mountaintop removal.  A must read.

And FYI, if this inspires you and you want to take action against Chase, Fossil Fool’s Day is only two days away.

JPMorgan’s War on Nature

How the Wall Street darling underwrites environmental Armageddon.

By Andy Kroll | Tue Mar. 30, 2010 3:00 AM PDT

Have you taken the Pledge to End Mountaintop Removal?

I spent last week in Wise Virginia with 100 Appalachian coalfield residents, students and youth from up and down the east coast, direct actionistas living in WV, TN, KY and VA and retired union coal miners at Mountain Justice Spring Break.  The theme of the camp focused on mountaintop removal (MTR), coal, local communities and Appalachian culture and what we’re doing to turn around this highly destructive fossil fuel economy.

Reposted from the Understory

By Amanda Starbuck

RAN activists have spent two days locked-down to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), demanding justice for the people of Appalachia by enforcing the Clean Water Act and ending mountaintop removal mining (MTR).

Join Mountain Justice, Energy Justice Network and Rainforest Action Network as We Mobilize to End Mountaintop Removal

SIGN UP:http://ran.org/endmtrdoa


WHAT: Actions at the EPA and across the country calling for an end to mountaintop removal
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 30
WHERE: Your Town, USA
CONTACT: dirtymoney@ran.org or fossilfuels@enerjustice.net; or Mountain Justice at http://mountainjusticesummer.org/contact.php; or call 1-800-989-RAIN