DC Rising Tide surprised Pepco(al) customers and staff today in the Pepco(al) lobby as they burst into song criticizing Pepco(al) for their delivery of electricity from coal, including coal from Mountain Top Removal coal mining in Appalachia. In this "flash mob" event, the activists entered the customer service area in Pepco(al)'s headquarters in Washington DC and called them out for "Destroying Mountains, Destroying Communities."
The singers also demanded that Pepco(al) stop sourcing energy generated from burning coal, particularly coal from mountaintop removal mining, use renewable energy like wind and solar instead, provide reparations to communities impacted by their power plants and by climate change, and cancel rate hikes for folks in DC.
The flash mob comes one year after DC Rising Tide initially delivered demands to Pepco at their headquarters. DC Rising Tide returned today as part of the Appalachia Rising movement to save the mountains, culminating in massive street demonstrations on Monday the 27th.
Activists disrupted the annual general meeting of criminal corporation Massey Energy this morning in Richmond, VA. Two of the group were arrested as they demanded an end to Massey’s reckless disregard for human life, community health, and the environment.
As shareholders entered their meeting in the main ballroom of the sheik Jefferson Hotel, activists occupied the adjacent rotunda, chanting loudly and draping a massive banner over the ornate mezzanine railings. The 10’ x 10’ hand-painted banner read, “Massey – Stop Putting Profits Over People!”
“Coal mining is dangerous. It’s dangerous for workers, dangerous for surrounding communities, and dangerous for the future of our planet. It’s time we move off of our dependency on coal and transition to a just, safe, clean energy future.” said Kate Rooth of DC Rising Tide, one of those who disrupted the meeting. “Massey Energy is notorious not only for putting their bottom dollar over people’s safety, but for driving people out their communities and poisoning their drinking water.”
As activists disrupted events inside, several hundred unionists and environmentalists rallied in the rain outside – albeit separately – to demand accountability for Massey’s despicable record of dangerous mine conditions, and its devastating social and ecological impact. Rally-goers pointed to the recent explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine in Montcoal, WV that killed 29 miners, and its mountaintop removal operations throughout Appalachia in their indictment of Massey’s corporate greed.
The activists arrested today in Richmond, Kate Finneran and Oscar Ramirez, remain in custody as Massey Energy continues jeopardizing workers’ lives and blasting apart mountaintops and communities throughout Appalachia.
Update: Two mountain justice supporters arrested at site of Massey Energy stockholder meeting with shouts, banner
“Massey: Stop Putting Profits Over People” said banner
Richmond, VA – Two activists were arrested at the location of the Massey Energy stockholders meeting after unfurling a banner from the mezzanine above the elegant grand foyer of the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia. The banner reads, “Massey: Stop Putting Profits Over People.” The arrests occurred toward the beginning of the meeting. The activists were reading an open letter (below) to Massey Energy demanding that the company cease mountaintop removal coal mining, a practice that is destroying central Appalachia. Several hundred mine workers and environmentalists are rallying outside the building on the street to demand that Massey Energy value mine safety.
The two individuals, Kate Finneran, 22, and Oscar Ramirez, 25, both members of the environmental group Rising Tide DC, were brought to Richmond City Jail at 501 North Ninth Street. According to Ramirez and Finneran, who were able to make phone calls from the jail, both were to be released this afternoon on their own reconnaissance and charged with a misdemeanor trespass charge.
"Coal mining is dangerous. It’s dangerous for our workers, dangerous for surrounding communities, and dangerous for the future of our planet. It’s time we move off of our dependency on coal and transition to a just, safe, clean energy future.” said Kate Rooth of Rising TideDC. “Massey Energy is notorious not only for putting their bottom dollar over people's safety, but for driving people out their communities and poisoning their drinking water."
Massey, a company with a terrible track record of safety violations was also responsible for the April mine disaster at Upper Big Branch mine in Montcoal, West Virginia which resulted in the death of 29 workers. In 2008, Massey made a $20 million settlement with the EPA for 4,500 Clean Water Act violations filed between 2000 and 2006. Now, in 2010, they are back in court for polluting America’s waterways again, this time for 971 Clean Water Act violations in 2008 and 2009.
The activists occupied the mezzanine level in the main foyer of the Jefferson Hotel and the banner they unfurled was a 10’ x 10’ hand-painted banner.
Over 500 mountains in the US have already been destroyed by mountaintop removal coal mining.
Join us Sunday March 7th for a panel discussion by former union coal miners from the United Mine Workers of America! Come hear them discuss the strikes they took part in and their current work to stop Mountain Top Removal, the destruction of environment, community, economy, and culture of Appalachia by blowing off mountaintops to extract coal.
** When? Sunday, March 7, 2010 5:30pm - 8:30pm
** Where? St. Stephen's Church (downstairs) 1525 Newton Street NW Washington, DC
The movement to stop Mountain Top Removal in Appalachia has been growing for years, in part thanks to former Union miners who have stepped into leadership roles throughout the country. While locally the history of the Union and its militant struggles is common knowledge, few people outside of the "hollows" of Appalachia know these stories.
The panel will cover everything from the "wildcat strikes" to what the United Mine Workers of America meant for people's daily lives. Panelists will also talk about the Pittston Strike, a strike which lasted 11 months, covered 3 states, led to thousands of arrests and included a mass occupation of the Moss 3 Prep Plant, a mining facility in the area. Finally, the panel will look at how their involvement in the UMWA affects their role in the current movement to end Mountain Top Removal.
Cosponsored by: DC Radical Space Collective the RRENEW Collective DC Rainforest Action Network DC Rising Tide
DC Rising Tide activists hold a street theater event in front of the headquarters of Pepco in Downtown Washington, DC, to demand that Pepco stop sourcing their electricity from Mountain Top Removal coal.
October 26, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pepco(al) under Fire for Sourcing Electricity from Coal
Washington, D.C. DC residents with the activist group DC Rising Tide today publicly presented their demands that Pepco stop sourcing electricity from coal, and particularly coal from Mountain Top Removal coal mining. The activists made their demands for renewable energy with a theatrical fight between “Pepcoal” and wind power in front of the headquarters of Pepco and its parent company Pepco Holdings.
The "Pepcoal" smokestack, Wind Power, and Mountains at Pepco's office in DC
“As a DC resident receiving my power from Pepco, I am outraged that most of that electricity comes from burning coal, especially from coal from the Mountain Top Removal coal mining destroying Appalachia,” said Erica Madrid.
The activists demonstrated the role that Pepco Holdings plays in the destruction of mountains and valleys in Appalachia by enacting a fight between coal and a coal-burning power plant and wind energy, with the mountains and the planet representing the stakes in the fight.
"Pepcoal" battles with Wind in front of Pepco's office building
Wind knocks out "Pepcoal" to save the mountains
“Pepco is supporting the destruction of Appalachian mountains, communities, and streams, as well as the destruction of the global climate by using all that coal,” said Andrew Thomaides, as he handed out fliers to Pepco staff.
DC Rising Tide activists handing out fliers to staff and passerby's
In 2008, the electricity that Pepco provided to DC residents came mainly (53%) from coal, and only 0.5% came from wind energy. A large part of the coal burned for Pepco electricity has come from Mountain Top Removal mining in Appalachia. In addition, the parent company Pepco Holdings, Inc. owns two coal- fired power plants and a number of other fossil fuel plants. Pepco Holdings renewable energy facilities represent less than 1% of the generating capacity of the facilities it owns. The company is even planning the construction of two new fossil fuel power plants.
The DC Rising Tide group’s demands include that Pepco Holdings stop sourcing electricity from Mountain Top Removal coal mining, replaces that electricity with renewable energy, and stop construction of new fossil fuel power plants. The public demand today comes several weeks after the group sent a letter with their demands to Pepco Holdings. The group received a letter in response that failed to respond to their key demands.
Banner reads "Pepco: Stop using Mountain Top Removal Coal! - DC Rising Tide"
Mountain Top Removal coal mining means blowing off most of a mountain and pushing the fill into the valleys. MTR has destroyed over 500 mountains and over 2,000 miles of streams in Appalachia. Mining and burning of coal also represents one of the greatest sources of greenhouse gas pollution, which is fueling the climate change that threatens life on Earth.
DC Rising Tide, an all-volunteer collective organizing for climate justice, is making its demands of Pepco Holdings in solidarity with the communities of Appalachia that are struggling and taking action to stop the destruction of their mountains.
DC Rising Tide activists march in front of Pepco, chanting "no more coal!"
**When? Tuesday 13 October at 7PM **Where? Belmont House in Adams Morgan, 1830 Belmont RD. NW, Washington DC (located between columbia rd and 18th st. nearest metro: woodley park)
Find out how you can join DC Rising Tide in fighting MTR and fighting for climate justice right here in DC!
This night of short films about coal, environmental justice, and direct action is ***FREE***
For more info e-mail dcrisingtide@riseup.net
-- What is DC Rising Tide? We are part of the Rising Tide North America (www.risingtidenorthamerica.org) collective. Rising Tide is a grassroots network of groups and individuals who take direct action to confront the roots causes of climate change and promote local, community-based solutions to the climate crisis.
today, dc rising tide sent a letter to Pepco demanding that they stop sourcing their coal from mountain top removal sites, as well as asking them to not build any new fossil fuel power plants and to switch to renewable energy.
4 activists delivered the letter to the Pepco headquaters in Washington, DC.
the activists asked to speak with Joe Rigby, the president of Pepco, but his assistant said he was unavailable and accepted the letter on his behalf.
activists leaving the pepco office, after delivering letter
dc rising tide activists in front of pepco's headquarters in DC
here is a clip from the letter that was sent today:
"As residents of Washington DC and the surrounding area, we are extremely concerned that you have done virtually nothing to transition to renewable, clean energy for electricity generation. We urge you to immediately take real steps towards clean energy use, including the following: • stop sourcing coal from mountaintop removal sites, publicly state your opposition to and refusal to source from mountaintop removal coal mining, and replace that supply with renewable energy (wind and solar energy); and • halt construction of fossil fuel power plants."
On the morning of June 18th, Lisa Ramsden and Jeanne Kirshon of Rising Tide DC were arrested in W VA while taking action against a mountaintop removal coal mine. They were arrested with 12 others after entering a Massey Energy MTR mine site near twilight, Western Virginia.
14 Activists Arrested in Peaceful Protest to Stop Mountaintop Removal scaled 20-story tall machinery to call attention to nation’s worst form of coal mining in first ever ascent of a mountaintop removal site’s dragline
How mountains are torn down so coal can be fed to your air conditioner and your 600W gaming computer
COAL RIVER VALLEY, W. VA – In the early morning hours of thursday, 14 concerned citizens entered onto Massey Energy’s mountaintop removal mine site near Twilight WV. Four of them scaled a 150-foot dragline and unfurled a 15×150 foot banner that said, “Stop Mountaintop Removal Mining”. The climbers were on the enormous dragline, a massive piece of equipment that removes house-sized chunks of blasted rock and earth to expose coal, and remained there for over three hours. Meanwhile nine others deployed a 20×40 foot banner on the ground at the site which read, “Stop Mountaintop Removal: Clean Energy Now”.
activists from dc rising tide attended the week long mountain justice summer activist camp in West Virginia last week. while there, they learned new skills, met others in the environmental movement, heard great guest speakers (such as larry gibson and mike roselle), saw an inspiring film on coal, visited a mountain top removal site, and went to the Picket at Petus rally on Saturday (5/22).
photographs from kayford mountain
mountain top removal site. larry gibson on the right.
right- mountain top removal site left- what it used to look like
