Protect the Grand Canyon of the South from MTR Mining
- by: Sierra Club
- recipient: EPA Region 3 Administrator Shawn Garvin
Once again, the Army Corps of Engineers has given its blessing to let Big Coal dump the blown-off tops of mountains into pristine Virginia waterways.
Ten miles downstream from the proposed Doe Branch mine, the Russell Fork River flows through Breaks Interstate Park. This park, known as the Grand Canyon of the South, features the deepest gorge east of the Mississippi, thousands of acres of forest to hike and camp, and some of the most challenging white water rapids in the East. Pollution of this natural wonder would put the squeeze on a local eco-tourism industry that pumps millions of dollars into the economy, supporting communities throughout the area.
We already know the harm to public health and the environmental destruction brought by mountaintop removal mining. But sadly, the Army Corps is willfully ignoring the polluted streams and rivers, increased cancer rates, heart disease rates, birth defects, and destroyed local economies to once again let Big Coal have its way. That's why the EPA must step up to protect people's water, health, and livelihoods.
Send your letter today! Tell EPA Region 3 Administrator Shawn Garvin to put an end to the Doe Branch mine, and protect Appalachian communities from dangerous mountaintop removal mining.
Dear EPA Region 3 Administrator Shawn Garvin,
The proposed Doe Branch mountaintop removal mine is a threat to Appalachian communities throughout Virginia and Kentucky, the pristine Breaks Interstate Park, and the local eco-tourism economy.
You recognized the threat that the Doe Branch mine poses to local communities and the environment when you objected to the proposed NPDES permit for the mine. Please continue your objection.
[Your comments will go here]
Sincerely,
[Your name]
