Coal Protest Continues in Kentucky

In Kentucky 14 people have had a sit in outside the Governor’s office in a bid to convince him to change his stance on mountain top coal mining. The protestors in the Kentucky State Capitol say that they are calling it the “I love the mountains rally”. The Governor Steve Beshear said that he would not change his position regarding the issue.

The protestors which include Kentucky author Wendell Berry have moved into the Governor’s office since Friday. They have been demonstrating peacefully and the governor says that they can stay as long as they like. A supporter from Florida ordered in half a dozen pizzas for the protestors and a Mexican restaurant in Lexington donated dinner.

Protestors with special shirts to protest mountain top removal also walked up Capital Avenue in hundreds. They carried signs and marched right up to the State Capitol. They believed that the current way to create energy ruined streams, land and mountains. They felt that there had to be other ways to create energy.

The president of the Kentucky Coal Association Bill Bissett said that the people seem to be referring to strip mining which was prevalent in the 1970s. He said that in the 21^st century they did a much better job of protecting the earth. They mined coal while being environmentally responsible. However the protestors are not impressed.