We treehuggers are always ruining everything for big dirty companies like Massey Energy. They sure weren’t too pleased when a group of activists – including Darryl Hannah and Dr. James Hansen – blocked a road near a coal processing plant in West Virginia to protest mountaintop removal mining and the effects it could have on a nearby elementary school.
So, they’re fighting back – with a series of ridiculous attack ads. Put down your coffee now, because you might just spit it all over your computer screen.
The text accompanying screenshots of the ad reads,
“Treehugging extremists and self-serving politicians – all jumping up and down claiming they can save the planet. What about the real endangered species: the American worker. We at Massey Energy are fighting hard for Appalachian jobs and our way of life. It’s not easy to fight for what’s right, but the people of Appalachia aren’t known for backing down. Massey Energy – we work here and we give here because we live here, too.”
You’re right, Massey, it’s not easy to fight for what’s right. But as you keep creating gigantic gaping wounds in the earth that utterly destroy the natural beauty of Appalachia (which is, incidentally, my home too) and poison all of the life that surrounds your coal mines, we environmentalists are going to keep fighting.
DeSmogBlog badass Kevin Grandia rips Massey a new one at The Huffington Post:
I am assuming that when Massey talks about fighting for Appalachian jobs they aren’t referring to the fact that earlier in 2009 they cut employee pay by 6% and then recently increased the performance bonus for Massey’s CEO, Don Blankenship, by $600,000.
And I think it’s also safe to assume that when Massey talks about fighting for “what’s right” they aren’t talking about the major environmental violations over the years culminating in a record $20 million settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA stated that Massey had violated its Clean Water Act permits “… more than 4,500 times between January 2000 and December 2006.”
It seems the coal giant didn’t learn much of a lesson from the EPA ruling. Just yesterday, a notice of intent to sue was filed alleging that Massey continues to pollute the water systems in West Virginia.
It’s only natural that coal miners are worried about their jobs. But they shouldn’t have to poison themselves, their families and their home in exchange for steady employment. When it comes down to it, Massey Energy isn’t doing them any favors.
Link [The Huffington Post]
Photo credit: It’s Getting Hot in Here
About This Article
The article Massey Energy Attacks “Tree-Hugging Environmentalists” is syndicated for use on EcoFunctional. The original content in it’s entirety can be found here.
