Women speak of coal mining damage

Two women from West Virginia strongly voiced their concerns about coal mining by mountaintop removal during a presentation Monday night.

The event, part of Environmental Awareness Week, showed vivid pictures of "Appalachian Treasures" - homes and communities that have been destroyed by mountaintop-removal coal mining in West Virginia.

Maria Gunnoe and Patty Sebok, both wearing T-shirts with the phrase "Stop Destroying our Mountains," spoke to students in an attempt to spark awareness about the issue.

"The coal miners are destroying our streams and destroying our communities," Sebok said. "We could talk for days and not touch on all the problems they have caused. We have decided enough is enough."

With tears in her eyes, Gunnoe described how the mining has destroyed her land and the surrounding community through flooding, sludge dams and land slides.

Gunnoe and Sebok said the worse past of their situation is that no one outside the area knows about the issue.

Bryan McNeil, a graduate student in the Department of Anthropology, helped relate the issue to UNC students and the campus as a whole.

McNeil added that coal is used for electricity in North Carolina and that there is a good chance the coal comes from mountaintop removal in West Virginia.

"There is a 50 percent chance that the coal used at UNC's electric plant may have come from mountain top removal," he said.

Members of UNC's Student Environmental Action Coalition traveled to West Virginia last weekend to see the damage firsthand.

A few members attended the presentation and talked to others about their experience and their support of the cause.

"The energy these ladies put into this cause is amazing," said freshman Sally Whisler, who went to West Virginia last weekend. "This issue is important and has impacted me because I have seen the destroyed lives."

Gunnoe and Sebok now are working as part of the Coal River Mountain Watch, whose mission is to stop the destruction, improve local quality of life and help retain sustainable communities.

The group has supported various legislation to stop mountaintop removal, but efforts have not been successful to date.

"Our government is just as much to blame as coal miners, because they have not done anything to stop it," Sebok said.

Sebok emphasized that the issue is a serious matter and that everyone should write legislators and educate others about mountaintop mining.

"It's not just our problem," she said. "It's everyone's problem. We are asking for your help."

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.