Blankenship, Kennedy Jr. to debate at UC
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship will debate environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the University of Charleston on Jan. 21, where the topics are expected to feature mountaintop removal coal mining, America's energy policy and climate change.
The forum is scheduled to be an invitation-only, 6:30 p.m. event at UC's Geary Auditorium. Another 2,000 seats will be open to the public for a live broadcast in the school's Eddie King Gymnasium.
UC President Ed Welch said that Kennedy and Blankenship would each receive 200 tickets for Geary Auditorium that they could give out to whomever they choose.
The remaining 400 to 500 tickets will go to UC students, faculty and staff, the school's board of trustees and political officials, Welch said.
Massey Energy spokesman Jeff Gillenwater expects the forum to generate a lot of interest around the state and nation, and perhaps internationally.
"Mr. Blankenship is looking forward to the forum," he said.
Welch expects the forum to draw some protestors, but indicated that UC officials might restrict them to sidewalks outside the campus entrance on MacCorkle Avenue.
As a private university, Welch said UC "would have a right to some policing of the campus." Campus police might also work with Charleston police, he said, as they did when now-President Barack Obama campaigned at UC in March 2008.
Kennedy, son of the late U.S. senator and attorney general Robert F. Kennedy, is president of Waterkeeper Alliance and chief prosecuting attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper, a group that seeks to protect the Hudson River and its tributaries.
In a column in The Washington Post in March, Kennedy referred to mountaintop removal coal mining as "the greatest environmental tragedy ever to befall our nation."
"This radical form of strip mining has already flattened the tops of 500 mountains, buried 2,000 miles of streams, devastated our country's oldest and most diverse temperate forests, and blighted landscapes famous for their history and beauty," he wrote.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. --
Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship will debate environmentalist
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the
University of Charleston on Jan. 21, where the topics are expected to feature mountaintop removal coal mining, America's energy policy and climate change.
The forum is scheduled to be an invitation-only, 6:30 p.m. event at UC's Geary Auditorium. Another 2,000 seats will be open to the public for a live broadcast in the school's Eddie King Gymnasium.
UC President Ed Welch said that Kennedy and Blankenship would each receive 200 tickets for Geary Auditorium that they could give out to whomever they choose.
The remaining 400 to 500 tickets will go to UC students, faculty and staff, the school's board of trustees and political officials, Welch said.
Massey Energy spokesman Jeff Gillenwater expects the forum to generate a lot of interest around the state and nation, and perhaps internationally.
"Mr. Blankenship is looking forward to the forum," he said.
Welch expects the forum to draw some protestors, but indicated that UC officials might restrict them to sidewalks outside the campus entrance on MacCorkle Avenue.
As a private university, Welch said UC "would have a right to some policing of the campus." Campus police might also work with Charleston police, he said, as they did when now-President Barack Obama campaigned at UC in March 2008.
Kennedy, son of the late U.S. senator and attorney general Robert F. Kennedy, is president of Waterkeeper Alliance and chief prosecuting attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper, a group that seeks to protect the Hudson River and its tributaries.
In a column in The Washington Post in March, Kennedy referred to mountaintop removal coal mining as "the greatest environmental tragedy ever to befall our nation."
"This radical form of strip mining has already flattened the tops of 500 mountains, buried 2,000 miles of streams, devastated our country's oldest and most diverse temperate forests, and blighted landscapes famous for their history and beauty," he wrote.
The approval of mountaintop mining permits amounts to a "death sentence" for streams, mountains and communities, he wrote.
Blankenship has been an outspoken critic of U.S. trade policy, climate change and cap-and-trade legislation.
He spoke at a Labor Day rally at a reclaimed Logan County strip mine, where he said global warming is "pure make-believe" and that the U.S. government wants to shut down coal mines with its energy policy.
This summer, the House of Representatives narrowly passed a version of the Waxman-Markey bill, which would set a cap on the emissions of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas mostly blamed for warming the planet. The legislation also would set up a market for "trading" permits for carbon dioxide emissions, which puts a price on the emissions. A related bill is pending in the U.S. Senate.
"American energy policy impacts jobs, the economy, and national security," Blankenship said in a UC statement. "I'm pleased to have the opportunity to address these important issues with Dr. Welch and Mr. Kennedy and clarify what I believe is the right direction for our country's future."
In recent weeks, former Charleston city councilman Ted Armbrecht had discussed the idea with Welch, who then reached out to both Blankenship and Kennedy.
Welch looks forward to bringing both men to the campus, and said each is passionate on a different side of the issue.
"It's very exciting for the university," he said. "We want to be a forum for the exchange of ideas. That's the essence of education."
Reach Davin White at davinwh...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1254.
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say you want to protect the beauty of WV,it cannot be done with windmills. They too have to clear cut and contour. They cannot replace the vegetation or the wildlife. I would rather see a flat grassy plateau than look at the top of a mountain and see nothing but giant windmills. The noise alone would be devastating to wildlife,and a death sentance, especially birds. Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. Byrd wants them here, because they don't want them in their backyards. Well I don't want them in mine!
As for nuclear power do you want your families subjected to that kind of toxins and the waste goes where?
Finally I would like someone to answer my question? What about all those children and families that you are going to destroy, stand in with a mountain top that CAN and IS reclaimed? I have asked this question many times and I have never got an answer.
The Tree Huggers, don't shop at Walmarts? Are you kidding me? They drive their big SUVs there as well as to Lowes' to get lumber. They have sewage running into our creeks. By the way Logan's Wallmart was NOT a mountain Top Removal site!
As for the "self proclaimed genious" he apparently has never been on a fully reclaimed MTR site, I live behind one in BOONE COUNTY. I see the beauty that can now be accessible to everyone not just in a plane or helicopter. As an artist, I see the trees, fish, grass and wildlife thriving. "The Economist" says that MTR and Mining is only a little over 2% of the work force, in WV compare that in wages.Close down those mines and see where our economy is then.
Capitalism and/or a Free Fair Open Market increases competition. Competition brings out the most efficient (low costs) to the market.
Coal used for domestic power production is around 50 -55% of the total power produced in the USA. Coal competes against Solar,Wind,Natural Gas,Oil, Nuclear and Water Turbines for power production.Coal competes in a Free Open Market( if anything coal is at a disadvantage). Coal is the second most efficient, low cost fuel to produce electricity in the USA.Water Turbines are more efficient but can not produce the amounts of electricity demanded.
Technology has caused underground coal production to increase at least 400-800% over the last 25 years. This is with less manpower.
Technology in surface machines has increased so much that now mountain top removal is efficient enough to displace some underground mining. Technology has improved coal's position in the market for a fuel supply for electricity.