There is a new commercial on TV in Southern West Virginia that is basically Walker Machinery promoting MTR. I’ve put a link to their latest commercial here requires Windows Media Player 11 to view.
I have a few questions for Walker Machinery.
- How much do you profit from the sale or lease of 1 earth moving truck?
- How many of those trucks are found on 1 MTR site?
- Do you not think that your opinion on Mountaintop Removal may be a little biased and based solely on the bottom line?
- Do you not think that taking sides in a very sensitive issue causes you to loose some of your customer base? (I’m sorry, of course that was a stupid question. Who cares about the individual when the coal company gives you all the business you need).
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I visit a lot of websites that deal with both sides of a very complicated issue, mountaintop removal. The thing I have noticed, while on the anti-MTR sites - the authors are talking about the environment, local issues, experiences they have had with MTR and things of that nature. On the pro-MTR sites I read things like… environmental kooks, clueless. It’s things like that that will cause this issue to go unresolved.
Every time something is said about Mountaintop Removal, the only argument from businesses like Walker Machinery is… Do you need electricity? My response to that… taking the coal is not the issue, at least not to this blogger. It is the means in which we are using to get the coal and the mess left behind.
In the photo below the ground is saturated with diesel fuel and rainwater. Anywhere outside of West Virginia there would most likely be, at the very least, a containment area set up and in some cases the fire department would be on the scene. Why not here? I would like to know what Massey’s action plan is for cleaning up this mess. I’d really like to hear a plan without the words valley fill anywhere in it.
At shift change this is the parking area for at least fifteen earth movers.
Progress, Massey Energy
I hate to think my need for comfort is the cause of this mess.
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Adding to this post…
Coal Company Hit With E.P.A.’s Largest Civil Penalty
January 13th, 2008 at 1:16 am
I hate, hate, hate those Walker ads where they interview the cartoon bugs (because cartoon bugs know more than scientists do).
BTW, your ASPCA button looks like my favorite dog (Big Dog) and cat (The Buddha) have been moonlighting on me. Love it.
January 13th, 2008 at 1:35 am
I hate their ads too. It only serves to piss me off. Of course Walker is going to promote MTR. They have m$ll$ons of reasons.
January 14th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
They say that coal keeps the lights on, but for how much longer will that be true and when we can keep our lights on with wind and solar energy these days.
Its true that I dont have the option to select wind generated power from AEP but friends in TN certainly have this option on their utility bill and TVA recently had to invest in more wind tech because so many TN residents were selecting this option ontheir monthly utility bills.
The mountain above my house is technically called Coal River Mountain. Massey has applied for two mountaintop removal permits for the mountain and have plans for a thrid that would in total remove near to 6,000 acres of mountain. Alternately a wind company has studyied the topography of the mountain and has stated the mountain has wind suitable to support 229 windmills on the same surface area that would generate enough power for more than 90,000 homes forever and creat more than 50 jobs - again forever, not jobs for 20 years much like most mountaintop removal sites but forever. Why wouldnt Rowland land company prefer to lease this land to an opperation that would generate profit every year into eternity rather than to a Massey energy surface mine that would be played out in aprox 15 years…
The old addage that we must have coal to turn on our lights is just that - old and no longer accurate. The time is now, lets move intot he future withthe best tecnology thats available to us.
Again - thank you for hosting this blog!
With appreciation - H
January 14th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Hillary… this comment hit on a pet peeve of mine and is exactly the point I try to make.
Sooner than later the coal is going to be gone. That’s the bottom line. I hear so many people talking about coal and the good things it does for us. But… it is going to be gone.. with MTR, just that much faster.
I dread the day we will be able to tell proponents of MTR “we told you so”… that day is coming.
As far as your Rowland Land Co. question… one word…. GREED!
January 15th, 2008 at 1:56 am
thanks so much for talking about this important issue! the ads are sickening. at a recent hearing about the Stream Buffer Zone rule, representatives from Walker and the coal companies actually had the gall to say that MTR leaves the land in better shape! amazing!
January 15th, 2008 at 4:10 am
That is amazing…
You know… there is a reason for the guards. They can say stuff like that because the ordinary citizen can’t refute them.
I can foresee the future… Businesses like Walker and Massey are going to bury the general public with their propaganda machine until it is too late. That’s all they have to do to win… in the meantime they will continue to tear the mountains up 450 metric tons at a time.
When it is all said and done they will be able to look back and say “Oh we’re sorry we were wrong.” But then the damage will be done. As a matter of fact, the damage is being done even as I write this.
January 15th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Talk about a propaganda machine, OVEC and CRMW have two of the best if you believe they only want to stop MTR!
January 15th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
I dont believe they only want to stop MTR - I’m pretty sure they want to help find alternative economic solutions and support equitable community led development so that there are more jobs in more industries and the communities we live in can truly prosper while the energy tide inevitably turns away from coal and towards renewables.
January 15th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Sounds like socialisim to me.
January 15th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
“Equitable economic development” does not mean socialism at all. We deserve wealth when we have sacrificed so much to generate energy for the rest of the nation, in fact the entire industrial revolution could not have happened without our hard working men and women.
Renewable Energy tech is one of the fastest growing investment markets and being quickly developed on Wall Street - proving that a diverse economy would mean profit for every hard working person in the region as well as investors and industry. Its a win, win, win situation.
January 15th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Whether we like it or not the rest of the world is slowly moving away from coal and towards alternatives. There is nothing we can do to stop that tide - the question is are we going to be poised to retain our stake as a national leader in energy development and will our counties/communities prosper from these new opportunities.
We dont have to get on it, but the train is leaving the station, its up to us if we want it to pass us by and leave us in the inevitably clearing coal dust.
January 15th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
so·cial·ism (s½“sh…-l¹z”…m) n. 1.a. A social system in which the means of producing and distributing goods are owned collectively and political power is exercised by the whole community.
Definitely not socialism…
I hear the words economic development and think about towns like Whitesville, West Virginia. Is that economic development? Both sides of the street are empty storefronts. Whitesville sits right in the middle of Massey country and yet it is one of the poorest towns in the state. Small businesses going broke because they believed in Big Coal.
There may be economic growth occurring elsewhere but here where we can feel the explosions and see the dust on our cars… economic growth is no where to be seen.
Personally I wouldn’t have a problem with MTR IF the EPA done a better job and if the laws governing reclamation had a complete overhauling.
I don’t know all there is to know about the environmental and economic impacts of MTR. Don’t claim to know… what I do know, however, I have seen with my own eyes. And that is a dirt parking lot full of diesel fuel being driven through every day and carried throughout the MTR operation. I’ve seen red water coming from the base of valley fills dumping into nearby streams. I’ve seen bears feeding from dumpsters on MTR sites.
I get tired of my intelligence being insulted by people telling me it’s a good thing. I can tell you this… until I see our headwaters running clear, better reclamation and our homes stop vibrating from explosions you’ll not get me to believe MTR is a good thing.
January 15th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Watcher says Whitesville,presently the center of massey country was quickly dying even when it was the center of UMWA country.
January 15th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
There is no denying that.
Economic Growth is defined as…
The increase over time in the capacity of an economy to produce goods and services and (ideally) to improve the well-being of its citizens.
Economic Development is defined as…
Economic development refers to a sustainable increase in living standards. It implies increased per capita income, better education and health as well as environmental protection.
I see evidence of neither definition.
January 15th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
So, if we are all agreed Whitesville is a dying town, economically, how could anyone argue that community led diversified economic development - meaning more jobs and some that are not related to coal so that the entire economy is not just dependent on only one industry - is a bad thing that should not be pursued. What town doesnt want more jobs? Especially one as vacant as Whitesville. The coal industry is clearly not enough on its own to make Whitesville thrive - lets add more econ development.
January 15th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
You’ll get no argument from me… I agree wholeheartedly.
January 15th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
I want to thank the participants of this discussion for keeping it civil. I usually steer clear of posts like this one because invariably someone gets mad and then the name calling starts. Discussions like that are counter-productive.
For myself, I need to get better educated on both sides of the issue. Although, I will always remain firm on my opinion of the environmental impact. That doesn’t mean I’m not open to others opinions.
At any rate… thanks all for the interesting discussion.
January 16th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Denny does Whitesville have access to the Hatfield Mccoy Trail , if not maybe the community should look into getting a trailhead. Take a look at Gilbert, this was a dying coal town.
January 16th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
That would be a totally awesome idea but I believe the closest trailhead is in Logan County.
I’m not sure how close the trail comes to Whitesville. I’m going to check it out though and see if I can find a Hatfield/Mccoy trail map.
That is exactly what Whitesville needs. I had a chance to spend some time in Logan County recently and it amazed me at the number of people from out of the area visiting to ride the trail.
January 16th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
I have to make another comment because bringing up the trail hit on a point that I often try to make and it has a lot to do with diversified economic development talked about earlier.
The Hatfield / McCoy Trail is a prime example of making good use of WV’s natural resources. And the resources I’m talking about are our mountains and streams.
West Virginia has the resources to be a premier outdoor destination. Hiking, camping, 4 wheeling, horse back riding, cross country mountain biking, hunting, whitewater, skiing… you name it and if it’s outdoor related we have the resources. Why not capitalize on that? Why go head long into taking the mountains apart without looking at our options?
Personally I’d like to see our resources used in such a way as to cause us to want to protect them better. After all, we are The Mountain State.
btw - I’m not directing this at anybody in particular, just rambling…
January 16th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
I wanted to stop by and say that I agree with both of you and am encouraged by the suggestion that we look for ways to include recreation as we move towards a more diverse economic future.
Folks love to 4 wheel, hike, dirt bike, fish, ramp, ginseng and retreat to nature in general with so much wilderness you’d think we could find a way to capitalize on that - help people unwind and enjoy themselves while boosting local economies…
January 16th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
I couldn’t agree more if I were twins
It seems to me like the old adage “can’t see the forest for the trees” fits perfectly here.
January 17th, 2008 at 1:11 am
HEY guys&gals Im a little late getting into this exchange of information, but was this the same Hillary who at that same buffer zone hearing fliped the bird to one of our college coaches and called walker employees SOBs. Not nice at all
January 17th, 2008 at 2:10 am
It doesn’t matter… but I agree. That’s definitely not the way to handle the situation.
We are never going to make progress as long as we verbally abuse one another…. NEWSFLASH - MTR affects each and every one of us in one way or another, at least here in Southern WV. Unless we can openly discuss the issue… How can we ever reach common ground?
That was kind of the reason for this post to begin with. I don’t have a problem with Walker employees… a person has to work. My problem is their commercial serves absolutely no purpose other than to imply the opposing opinions are from people that are clueless. That is also not the way to handle the situation. Why would they want to make me mad? What purpose does it serve?
January 17th, 2008 at 7:12 am
After thinking about it there is a good thing to come from a silly commercial, it caused me to get involved.
I have a blog or three… hear me RRROOOAAARRRRR!!!!
I love it
February 26th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Biography of a Cartoon Bug
Hi, I am the cartoon bug from the Walker/Cat commercial that is now running on TV in this area. I am helping them promote Mountain top Removal and Hollow Fill in WV and East Kentucky. My name is Mr. Bug and I am on that courtroom bench waiting for the gavel to fall, be a merciful end compared to what I have been through. I was living a good life in a cartoon valley with a bunch of other cartoon characters before they did a cartoon mountain top removal and cartoon hollow fill. I drifted around for a while watching my other cartoon buddies find work, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, The Road Runner. No one would hire me because of my relationship with Walker/Cat and Hollow fill mining. You know the liberal, tree hugging Hollywood type’s. The stigma connected with the association killed my acting career. I tried to rehabilitate my career by doing a year in the Peace Corps and joining the Sierra Club and Green Peace. A lot of good it did me. I went to a Hollywood event to raise money to fight Global Warming just to get bitch slapped by Al Gore. Scorned and penniless I had to come back after the Hollow fill was finished. Now I am hung out here on this barren plateau, cold wind blowing up my butt with a bulls eye on my back. The target of every hungry Sparrow and Red Bird that fly’s by. I feel like Bill after he got caught with Monica, everybody is watching me now. I had good cover back in my old cartoon valley. I would love to find me some warm Drift Shaft mine to crawl back into but I got to stay here. They made me do it, tortured me pulled my wings off, holding my grandpa as hostage at this very moment. Holding a can of Raid on him and threatening to throw him in a bug zapper. I got PTSD, my nerves are shot, took to snorting pills and trying to get on the draw. Thanks a lot Walker/Cat you are singing almost level West Virginia and I am stuck here singing the blues.
February 26th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Miss Bug
It was not that our intelligence was insulted enough with the commercial by Walker/Cat telling us its ok to do a Mountain Top Removal and a Valley Fill now they have come up with another one with a lady bug telling us its ok to cover up a stream. I feel it is because some environmental groups that have not been successful in the past in court attacking them strictly on the MTR issue has found a chink in the coal corporations armor with the clean water act. I believe the states may have had some stream protection bills passed in recent years that allow the groups to go after coal corporations who destroy fresh water streams
The old timers had it right back when they all had private wells and you could drink right out of most streams around here. Most birds don’t crap their own nest and you don’t mess where you eat. Of course that is putting it delicately as for how they really said it. We have a few fresh water springs left in Pike County where you can still bottle the water right out of the stream and sell it. For the most part though we are spending millions of dollars running what we call “city water” into every community. The water we once had being ruined by strip mining for the most part. We have better health departments now but the frequent boil water advisories remind us of what is really in that lake and river water they are trying to clean up for us to drink. I don’t like the taste of the chlorine and it is a constant reminder of what kind of fecal matter bacteria it is trying to cover up. Fresh clean, clear water one of the basic elements of life, are you really going to let a cartoon bug tell you its ok to destroy fresh mountain streams. Tell me what do you get out of that multi-million dollar piece of equipment that Walker/Cat sells? Especially the ones that covers up that fresh water stream.
February 26th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Anonymous - I thought your first comment was too funny. And I’m with you 100% on the second comment.
I wrote a more recent post with these commercials. Walker Machinery’s Luv Bug