Appalachian activist garners national attention after D.C. rally

Last week we reported on the Appalachia Rising protest in Washington, D. C., and now one of the organizers of that event is gaining national attention. Bo Webb, 61 of Peachtree, W.V., "first heard about mountaintop removal soon after retiring in 2001 as a machine shop owner in Cleveland to move to Clay's Branch hollow in the Coal River Valley of West Virginia," Peter Slavin of The Los Angeles Times reports. Webb's activism against mountaintop removal began with an open letter to President Obama about conditions near his home and eventually lead him to the environmental group Coal River Mountain Watch.
(Photo of Bo Webb, by Ben Droz, Appalachia Rising)

Webb videotaped the effects of blasting from a Massey Energy mine near his home, "took the tape to Washington, and showed it to the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement," Slavin writes. "Back home, three federal officials drove out and went up the mountain with him, and made state blasting personnel join them." State regulators issued citations to Massey, including two for blasting, and told the company it would have to abide by special restrictions if it were to blast in the area again. Massey has since avoided the area.

Webb's "relentless fight to save the mountains, communities, culture and people of Appalachia has inspired me more than I can ever describe," coal field activist Wendy Johnston told Slavin. Webb claims coal mining near his home is also contributing to elevated cancer levels among Coal River Valley residents, though mining groups were quick to note there is no proof mining causes cancer. "Webb remains undeterred, and he believes it's now or never to end mountaintop removal," Slavin writes. Webb doubts Obama will be re-elected and thinks any successor will be much less sympathetic to his cause. "We've got two years to end this," he told Slavin. (Read more)