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Updated: 7:36 AM Jan 22, 2010
Massey CEO, Environmentalist Face Off in Coal Debate
Don Blankenship and Robert F. Kennedy Junior are certain they could win over the world if only the public could see mountaintop removal mining through their eyes.
Posted: 3:59 PM Jan 21, 2010Reporter: Associated Press; Jessica Ralston; Kallie Cart Email Address: news@wsaz.com; jessica.ralston@wsaz.com; kallie.cart@wsaz.com |
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120 Comments 
UPDATE 11pm
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Tough talk during a debate that aims to move mountains. Thursday night, Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship squared off against environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Their focus was a topic that truly hits home in coal country -- mountaintop removal versus the environment.
"This industry made this country great," Blankenship said. "If we forget that we're going to need to learn to speak Chinese."
"The overloaded coal trucks on the road, the coal dust, the bad air, the contaminated water... All of those things go along with mountaintop," Kennedy pleaded.
The welfare of the land is not the only sticking point in this debate -- it's also about the people and the state of West Virginia. Each side of the argument agreed that good health comes at a cost.
Kennedy said that he is not against underground mining, his problem is with mountaintop removal. He calls it a sin.
Blankenship says the real sin is taking away jobs and destroying families.
The University of Charleston was a packed house for the debate Thursday night, and every person there had opinions of their own.
UC's president said he hoped this discussion would bring people together, but the crowd was just as divided as Kennedy and Blankenship.
Many coal miners from Massey mines showed up in overwhelming numbers to show their support, and they left thinking Blakenship reigned supreme.
"I agree with him 100% that coal is going to be around; it has to be around for many years to come," Poncho Griggs of Van said. "I've worked in this job for twelve years and I haven't seen the first stream covered up and I should know, because I'm there."
Those on the other side of the issue thought it was clear that Kennedy wiped the floor with Blankenship's ideas.
"Blankenship didn't really say much of anything, I just think he was trying to avoid the questions," Chris Rodgers of Charleston said. "I'm for the people that mine, but I don't think they really know what they're doing to themselves and the community."
Many at the forum were stuck somewhere in the middle.
"It is a finite resource and we need to be looking for alternatives and in that respect I do see what Mr. Kennedy was saying," Danny Davidson of Charleston said.
In the overflow viewing area the crowd was largely pro-coal; in the auditorium where the debate took place it was split. The tickets there were given out to select people chosen by side.
ORIGINAL STORY
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Don Blankenship and Robert F. Kennedy Junior are certain they could win over the world if only the public could see mountaintop removal mining through their eyes.
On Thursday, the coal baron and the conservationist get their shot.
Blankenship, the outspoken chief of Massey Energy, goes toe-to-toe with Kennedy, the celebrity environmental attorney. It's a fight for the hearts and minds of Americans who know next to nothing about coal.
The men will debate at the University of Charleston. Both men hope the conversation will carry beyond coal country.
Kennedy says Americans will insist on a ban once they have more knowledge of the issue. Blankenship says the fact that people will hear his message without media filtration makes it a win.
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Latest Comments
A lawyer and an accountant debating mountaintop removal? That's like Captain Scully and Brett Favre debating home schooling. On a positive note, less MTR will help the bottom from falling out in regards to the current price for coal. I've never understood how MTR can be economical, but that's just me...
I have read were other people haven't had their post's posted. Mine wasn't either. I guess ya'll are just a bunch of tree hugers too. I bet you don't post this either.
Theses tree huggers are worried about what coal is doing to the environment what are the effects that necular power will have on it??????????????? Maybe these tree huggers need to go back to the old days and forget all this new tecnology and throw their cell phones and computers and so on in the trash and turn their power off, raise their own food and then see what they think about mountaintop removel. Oh I forgot they can't throw their cell phones and and stuff in the trash because it might destroy our enviroment. I guess they better not even go to the bathroom because that also might destroy it. Everything we do is destroying it. Oh next thing you know we might not be aloud to breath because we put out carbon-dioxide. Maybe we should get taxed for that. Coal is how we live here in Westvirginia without it there is nothing for people. No jobs and people won't be able to raise a family here. This is how we survive here, not everyone was born with a silver spoon in their mouth.
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