"Impacts of Coal" Rally, Thursday, January 20, 2011, 1:30 p.m. Meet at Laidley Field Parking Area (1549 Piedmont Road at Elizabeth St., Charleston)

"Impacts of Coal" Rally, Thursday, January 20, 2011, 1:30 p.m.

Meet at Laidley Field Parking Area (1549 Piedmont Road at Elizabeth St., Charleston)

West Virginia's Acting Governor Tomblin is hosting a "Rally for Coal" at the state capitol on Thursday to show his opposition to the EPA's veto of the Spruce No 1 mountaintop removal mine.  The governor has announced that the purpose of his rally is to "show the EPA how coal impacts our lives, and the lives of our fellow countrymen.”  So let's go and remind the governor of coal's impact — slurry injections, blasting, poisoned water, destruction of our communities, cancer and death.  The EPA finally did its job and now it is under attack by our own state government. The governor does not speak for us. He speaks for the coal industry. We must show our support for the EPA's decision and make our voices heard.

Please show up, bring your friends, bring a camera and bring signs, photos and any other visuals that illustrate the devastation that coal has wrought in our region. We will gather at the bus shelter at Laidley Field and leave at 1:30 to walk together to the capitol, near the acting governor's rally.

IMPORTANT:

* This is a non-violent event; we intend to demonstrate in a peaceful and respectful manner.

* Please do not engage with pro-coal demonstrators, regardless of how they react to us.

* Do not bring anything that could be construed as a weapon, including signs with wooden poles

* Take responsibility for the safety of the people standing next to you