Coal River Wind » Email the Governor

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Governor Manchin,
I am writing to ask that you support the Coal River Wind Farm by rescinding the mining permits and preserving the mountain for the development of clean, sustainable wind energy.  Massey Energy  is set to begin their Mountaintop Removal mining operation now, as they have received all of the necessary permits required to proceed.  This offers you an opportunity to do the right thing for the citizens of the Coal River Valley and for all of West Virginia, and give the development of wind power a chance on Coal River Mountain.
Many people across southern West Virginia and across the United States support wind over Mountaintop Removal, not only for Coal River Mountain, but for all of southern West Virginia’s mountains that exhibit good wind potential.  During your 2008 State of the State address you pointed out “that the main ingredient to a successful energy future is sustainability” and encouraged the development of renewable energy like wind and solar. For this reason we hope you will be supportive of this landmark opportunity to put West Virginia on the renewable energy map.
Coal River Mountain in West Virginia has enough wind potential to provide electricity for 100,000 to 150,000 homes, and to create up to 50 well-paying, good jobs, forever. The proposed wind farm would also help diversify the local economy in an area historically dependent upon sparse, temporary coal mining jobs. This opportunity depends upon the mountain being left intact.
We feel you could do no better than to lend your full support for the development of a utility-scale wind farm as an economically viable alternative to Massey’s proposed 6,000+ acre mountaintop removal operation that is currently planned for the mountain. By supporting this project, you will show both the state and the nation that you are truly committed to diversifying West Virginia’s energy portfolio, and that you are willing to make tough choices in order to ensure the future of energy production and strong economy for the state and nation.
We have and need a new and better option, and we are asking that you lend your full support for this project based on its long-term economic, social and environmental benefits, especially as they compare positively to the short-term benefits and long-term costs that will result from proposed strip-mining operations.
Governor Manchin, the choice is yours, and we hope that you make the right one – for the residents of Coal River Mountain, for West Virginia, and for the nation.  I ask that you rescind the Mountaintop Removal permits for Coal River Mountain and give wind energy a chance.
Sincerely,

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