Mountain Heroes: Bo Webb
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My name is Bo.
This river flows clean and clear past my backyard.
No one is taking that away from me. -
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Bo Webb: My Mountain Story
Bo Webb lives in Peachtree Hollow near Naoma, West Virginia, in the Coal River Valley. A sixth-generation resident of the Coal River Valley, West Virginia, Bo is former board president and current member of Coal River Mountain Watch. Bo, a Vietnam War veteran, was one of the community members who helped move Marsh Fork Elementary School out from under a 2.8 billion gallon sludge dam. In 2010 he was one of the leaders of the largest ever national protest on mountaintop removal mining, called Appalachia Rising, in front of the White House, and was co-founder of Mountain Justice Summer. For his tireless advocacy, he was awarded the Purpose Prize in 2010. Today he helps to lead the Appalachian Community Health Emergency (ACHE) campaign, asking the federal government to comprehensively study the impacts of mountaintop removal mining and impose a national moratorium on mountaintop removal mining permits until those studies are completed.
This is Bo's story:
My name is Bo Webb. Growing up on Coal River has been one the greatest blessings in my life. From spring until winter we fished and camped up and down the river. From the mountains above we gathered wild leeks, mushrooms, ginseng, blackberries, raspberries, yellow root, and wild greens. We grew our gardens in the flats of the mountains, in rich black mountain soil. We hunted and preserved our game and garden vegetables. Nearly everyone had a root cellar, and smokehouses were common.
I first witnessed mountaintop removal coal mining after I began to hear explosions back on the mountain above us. I needed to get a look so I took an old trail up the mountain and watched from an adjacent ridge. I observed bulldozers knocking trees down the mountain into big piles of rubble. Over a period of days, from my hidden post I watched as hundreds of acres of the mountain were stripped void of vegetation. The coal company doused the rubble piles with fuel and old tires and burned them. They then drilled hundreds of holes deep in the earth and filled them with (what I learned later to be) a mix of ammonium nitrate and diesel fuel explosives.
I decided to take a small plane fly-over. From the plane I looked down on pure insanity. Thousands and thousands of acres of mountains were being obliterated, directly above mountain communities. Blasting dust filled the air. Giant coal waste sludge dams containing billions of gallons of toxic coal sludge hovered over the Coal River Valley, one of those directly above our elementary school. I knew I was experiencing a life-changing moment. I talked with my wife that night, and the next day my work began.
My journey has taken me from the hollers of West Virginia to the halls of Congress, to the conference rooms of the United Nations. I began as a volunteer with a small community organization, Coal River Mountain Watch. At that time they were challenging the permitting process and lobbying for a bill to end mountaintop removal. I quickly learned that the mining companies routinely broke the law and had no intention of following regulations within the spirit of the law. I also realized that in a state owned by coal barons, talking to politicians would be fruitless. I began to organize protests that would bring media attention to the issue, thereby informing the masses of this terrible injustice.
Today, mountaintop removal is under scrutiny from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA has recently stepped in and taken some actions to enforce the Clean Water Act and review mountaintop removal mining permits more carefully. But, the EPA has also allowed some new permits to move forward. Meanwhile, people living beneath mountaintop removal mining are breathing blasting dust residue of diesel fuel, ammonium nitrate, silica dust, and other harmful particulates. Water wells have been poisoned. We are now learning that our garden soil is contaminated as well. We have shocking scientific health data — currently 19 scientific, peer reviewed research papers on health and coal mining, six of which are specific to mountaintop removal coal mining — but our state government is still unwilling to conduct health research.
The science today honestly frightens me: Birth defect rates have more than doubled since mountaintop removal began, cancer rates in mountaintop removal communities are accelerating at an alarming rate. We are witnessing a health crisis.
Because our state government is unwilling to take action, the need is that much greater for the federal government to intervene to protect us and our communities. We are depending on the U.S. government to save us and our hometowns from this destruction. When it comes to reforming and cleaning up the coal industry, change has always had to come from our national government. This is why it is so important for Americans from sea to sea to demand this change from our nation’s leaders in the White House and Congress. These mountains are yours to save, too.
I hope for an Appalachia free of mountaintop removal with our mountain communities reunited in the spirit that was lost when the destruction of our mountains began. After mountaintop removal is over we will work to build sustainable economies within our communities. For now, we must focus on this fight, because we are fighting for our survival. We and the mountains are connected; one and the same. As they are being destroyed, so are we.
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Jonathan Gensler
A former officer for the United States Army and Iraq War veteran, he is working on transforming the energy profile of the one of the largest energy consumers in the world, the Department of Defense.
"We can make a similar choice today, if we want: We can say 'Yes' to growing our economy beyond reliance on deadly fossil fuels, which will inevitably run out, and embrace a profitable future with a balance of renewable energy and enhanced efficiency, supporting healthy communities for generations to come."
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Dustin White
Dustin works to educate the public, elected officials, and members of Congress on the devastation mountaintop removal mining.
"Many don't realize the thing they cling to, coal, is the thing that is harming us. Even at home it is hard to get people to understand."
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Ken Hechler
In his early years in Congress, Rep. Hechler became an outspoken opponent of strip mining — and drafted the nation’s first law setting up safety measures for coal miners.
"There have been many uphill fights that have come out successful, and I wish we could see it for the fight to end mountaintop removal mining. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, but the tougher it gets, the more exciting it gets when you can see victory."
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James Tawney
The son of a coal miner, James grew up on a small farm on Daupinspeck Mountain, in the scenic Gauley River canyon. Now, this area famous for its whitewater rapids is being trashed by mountaintop removal.
"To me, nothing is worth the loss of our mountains and streams. Without drinkable water, there is no life."
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Donetta Blankenship
Donetta and her family's only source of water was contaminated with toxic chemicals. Hospitalized twice for liver problems due to the poisonous water, Donetta's resolve to stand up against mountaintop removal has only strengthened.
"I am going to do all I can to try to help, to save people's lives, and help them so that they won't have to go through this with their water."
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Teri Blanton
Teri has been fighting mountaintop removal mining and toxic pollution in her home state of Kentucky for 20 years. Along with thousands of her Kentucky comrades, Teri is at the forefront of the movement for healthy communities in America.
"My children didn’t get to enjoy the creek the way I did; they grew up in the midst of coal muck in the ’80s and early ’90s."
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Mickey McCoy
Mickey is the former mayor of Inez, Kentucky, a town that captured the nation’s attention when a massive coal waste dam failed and flooded it in 2000.
"You have just got to give the human race a big high five when you see some of these people who are getting involved in this peaceful movement to stop mountaintop removal, many of them young people — it’s just wonderful ... To all my brothers and sisters who are in this movement and to those who are ready to join us, I cry, 'Hoka Hey!'"
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Jane Branham
Jane is vice president of the Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards, a citizen group in southwest Virginia that is working to protect communities from coal pollution and end mountaintop removal mining.
"My hope is that we start rebuilding our community to what it used to be before coal ever invaded our lives."
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Cindy Rank
Cindy is the humble backbone of decades of efforts to hold accountable the agencies whose responsibilities are to strictly enforce federal and state mining laws.
"I do believe that even what appear to be small victories make a difference, slow the tide of destruction, and are worth whatever improved mining practices that occur as a result. People in Appalachia are still suffering greatly, but were it not for those small victories many more communities would already be gone."
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Allen Johnson
With his strong faith and his generous heart, Allen reaches out to Christians and their congregations to educate and motivate them on injustices of mountaintop removal mining.
"These areas where they are extracting all this coal are the poorest in the country. It’s take, take, take, and not give back...Answering this call involves rebuilding central Appalachia, with a sustainable, clean, vibrant economy; a renewal of our culture of hospitality and neighborliness."
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Karen Woodrum
Karen is proud of her work as an underground miner and wants to make her message clear: she is not against coal; she is against mountaintop removal coal mining.
"There would be more jobs if they would mine it underground, and I think people’s lives would not be disrupted as they are with mountaintop removal going on. And there’s less damage done to the earth."
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Sid Moye
Sid never considered himself an environmentalist—just a regular mountain man who loves his family, loves his garden, and loves life in the mountains. But that all changed when he went to fulfill his lifelong dream of a retiring to fish in nearby mountain streams.
"When they leave, after the coal company is done with this, we'll not have any resources, we'll not have any land, we'll not have any water, the air is already poisoned."
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John Slattery
John Slattery is an actor and director, best known for his role as Roger Sterling on AMC's series Mad Men. In joining this Earthjustice campaign, John Slattery is standing with all Mountain Heroes in opposition to mountaintop removal mining.
"My name is John. Some things are better with their tops left on. I stand with the Mountain Heroes. Let's stop removing the tops off mountains."
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Wendell Berry
The author of more than 40 books of poetry, fiction, and essays, Wendell Berry is the recipient of numerous awards and honors. He has dedicated much of his energy and time to the cause of saving mountains and waters.
"My connection to mountaintop removal mining is the Kentucky River, beside which I live, and I know that surface mining in the mountains of Kentucky damages the river."
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Lisa Henderson
Born in a town that went vacant because of pollution from mountaintop removal mining, she was raised under the wing of one country’s most ardent voices for environmental justice, Judy Bonds.
"We traced the polluted creek to mountaintop removal mining. We started talking to community members from the other side of the mountain, and the more we talked to people, the more we heard, "Oh, you just wait. There’s more in store for you." They were right."
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Junior Walk
From living with contaminated water in his own home as a child, to being kicked out of the house for speaking out against the coal company, Junior has had to muster courage at every step along the way.
"I knew I couldn’t live with myself if I just sat on my hands, knowing that my friends and family were being poisoned, so I started to speak out against mountaintop removal mining."
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Julian Martin
In 1999, Julian walked across the state of West Virginia with another Mountain Hero, Larry Gibson, in protest of mountaintop removal mining. He hasn’t stop marching since.
"Mountaintop removal mining is just a one-shot deal. It kills everything and then leaves. These mountains will never be replaced, and nothing good is ever going to happen on these mountains again. They’re finished."
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Debbie Jarrell
Co-director of Coal River Mountain Watch, Debbie brings her caring spirit and indomitable dedication to the movement to end mountaintop removal mining.
"I have two grown children and three grandchildren. What’s similar about their experience is the amazement and the enjoyment that they get from being out in the woods and around the rivers. But a major difference is that my grandchildren can’t kneel down and get a drink in these streams whenever they want to, because of the pollution and contamination from mountaintop removal mining."
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Bo Webb
A no-nonsense Vietnam War veteran, Bo is determined to fight for the health of communities near mountaintop removal mining. He won't give up until protections are brought to Appalachia.
"After mountaintop removal is over we will work to build sustainable economies within our communities. For now, we must focus on this fight, because we are fighting for our survival. We and the mountains are connected; one and the same. As they are being destroyed, so are we."
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Amber Whittington
Amber's younger brother is only five years old, and he will spend his entire childhood growing up next to a mountaintop removal mining site. For his sake, she's pledged to work to end mountaintop removal mining.
"It seems hopeless at times, but it’s not. I have to remind myself that it will get better as long as I keep fighting. I’m inspired by the amazing people I’ve met who won’t back down on this. We need more people from all over the country fighting to stop this."
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Terry Tempest
Highly celebrated and decorated literary icon Terry Tempest Williams stands firmly against mountaintop removal mining. Williams' writings and books have earned her critical acclaim, and now she is using her vaunted name to try to stop this devastating mining practice and protect families across Appalachia. Join her.
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Jerry Cope
Writer, filmmaker, designer, and activist Jerry Cope is standing up for justice, clean water, healthy communities, and mountains by standing against destructive mountaintop removal mining. Will you join him?
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Daryl Hannah
Award-winning actress Daryl Hannah has thrown herself into the fight to stop mountaintop removal mining. She stands in solidarity with all Mountain Heroes. Will you join her?
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Warren Haynes
Widely considered one of rock & roll’s greatest guitarists of all time, Warren Haynes has performed on stage and in the recording studio with a diverse array of musicians including Phil Lesh & Friends, James Hetfield, Bob Dylan, John Lee Hooker, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt and many more.
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Alex Honnold
World-renowned climber Alex Honnold, whose famed record-setting climbs are unrivaled in the climbing world, joins thousands of Mountain Heroes in standing up to defend Appalachia's mountains and communities.
"My name is Alex. Climbing mountains is my life. We should protect them."
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My Morning Jacket
"We are My Morning Jacket. We want to see an end to mountaintop removal. We care about our mountains and Appalachia."
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Mari-Lynn
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Silas House
I'm an Appalachian. And my homeland is being destroyed.
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Joan Mulhern
Earthjustice mourns the passing of the strongest and bravest advocate for clean water and justice that we have ever known, our very own senior legislative counsel Joan Mulhern.
A fighter for the planet and for all people who suffered environmental injustice, Joan was a tireless advocate for the underdog in every situation, and she seldom if ever lost.
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Maria Gunnoe
Maria's life has been threatened numerous times for her criticism of the coal industry, and she’s been assaulted and harassed, but she has refused to be silenced.
"We do not have to blow up our mountains and poison our water to create energy. I will be here to fight for our rights. My family is here, we’ve been here for the past 10 generations, and we’re not leaving."
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Edward Norton
An actor and filmmaker, Edward Norton is standing with all Mountain Heroes in opposition to mountaintop removal mining.
"Mountaintop removal coal mining destroys our natural resources, our communities, our health. It privatizes all the profit of dirty energy and socializes all the costs to the rest of us. It's a travesty and a scam and needs to be stopped."
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Larry Gibson
Considered the father of the movement to stop mountaintop removal mining, he travels the country in his signature fluorescent shirts educating the public on through his Keeper of the Mountains Foundation.
"We didn’t know what it was, or if it was legal to blow up a mountain. I mean, who does that? I just didn’t believe it, I couldn’t fathom it. But I was hearing it, and I was seeing it in the distance, and then finally I could throw a rock and hit it."
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Chuck Nelson
For nearly 30 years he worked as an underground coal miner. When mountaintop removal mining came to his area, Chuck watched the communities around him fall apart. And so his journey began.
"Being a coal miner, I depended on coal to raise the family. But I knew when I went into the underground mine, I was sacrificing my own health. It was my choice, as an underground coal miner. But mountaintop removal mining is different, because it affects whole communities — people who don’t get a choice in the matter."
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Alexandra Cousteau
A National Geographic "Emerging Explorer," filmmaker, and globally recognized advocate on water issues, Alexandra sees the link between our oceans and the waters that connect to them, including the important headwaters that begin in the Appalachian Mountains.
"We are drawn to the mountains like we are drawn to the sea. Could you imagine a world without either?"
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Leilani Munter
A biology graduate who became a race car driver and environmental activist, Leilani is now directing her attention to the mining practice that is devastating Appalachia. She stands with all Mountain Heroes in opposition to mountaintop removal mining.
"Mountains are being destroyed for corporate greed. There is no Planet B. Let's save this one."
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Woody Harrelson
Woody Harrelson is an award-winning actor and longtime environmental activist, and a steadfast ally in the movement to stop mountaintop removal mining.
"Mountains, forests, streams, birds, fauna are sacred. The closest we get to God."
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Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is one of our nation's leading environmental advocates and litigators. Named one of TIME magazine’s “Heroes for the Planet," Kennedy works to defend our nation's clean waterways and oppose mountaintop removal coal mining.
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Comments
I just learned that you lost your wife to cancer in March. I am so sorry that your family has had to pay the ultimate price for coal's greed and government inaction. My heart goes out to you.
It's all about money. Jobs that coal furnishes can be transitioned to clean energy jobs. The federal government should furnish training for miners willing to change to clean energy jobs. Subsidies paid to coal should be taken away and transferred clean energy to encourage clean energy jobs in the region. There should be huge export taxes placed on coal leaving the US that will make export a losing proposition. External costs of coal should be included in the cost to power companies and metal industries that continue to use coal. Those external costs must include the cost to maintain the health of the residents of the coal fields. Those external costs must include the clean up of streams to the pre-mining conditions. Those external costs must include replacement of topsoil and re-establishment of the hard wood forests that once were there.
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I think the EPA needs to get off their duffs and step up and stop this horrible thing the mining companies are doing. Appalachia is a beautiful area and the coal mining needs to take responsibility for clean up and complete restoration (including the water pollution) of the area!
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