"We blow up the most ancient mountains on the earth, reducing them to rubble to produce electricity we call 'cheap' and 'clean'
What does that tell us about ourselves and our society?"
Teri Blanton responds to those who speak of clean coal by saying, “there is no such thing as safe coal or cheap coal….Talk clean coal to people who can’t bathe in their own drinking water because acid mine drainage is running into their wells. Nothing is clean about coal.” Her personal experience with the devastating effects of mountaintop removal mining and its impact on her community moved her to become a leader for justice in Kentucky.
Blanton’s journey began in her hometown of Dayhoit. The drinking water had become contaminated from a manufacturing plant using the land as a dumping ground. It was eventually declared a Superfund site (where the responsible parties are supposed to make reparations for the damage caused; in this case, clean water was brought in for residents to drink), but residents were still using it in their gardens, their pools, and for other activities. Teri Blanton was a leader in educating her community about the dangerous health risks posed by the water they had been consuming.
The amount of contamination did force Blanton from her hometown; however, her determination to fight for clean land and water was only strengthened. As she says, “drinking poison water can really help you to understand how important clean water is.” This goes hand in hand with Kentucky’s fight against mountaintop removal mining (MTR). Blanton is a powerful voice against this destructive form of coal mining. The loss of Appalachian forests due to the shearing off of the tops of ancient mountains, the pollution of streams and towns with coal processing waste, and the disparity of wealth between coal companies and rural communities are the very issues Blanton and other activists are working to prevent through Kentuckians for the Commonwealth.
Teri Blanton is a former chairperson and now a Fellow for Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KTFC), whose mission statement defines it as a “statewide citizens organization working for a new balance of power and a just society….we use direct action to challenge – and change – unfair political, economic and social systems. Our membership is open to all people who are committed to equality, democracy and non-violent change.” Blanton initiated The Canary Project with KTFC, based on the old mining practice of bringing canaries into the mines to check for toxic gases. When the gases became too dangerous for the canaries, the miners knew to leave the mine. Blanton says, “Now, we are the canaries, warning everyone about the dangers of coal before it is too late….The Canary Project is building a better future – beyond coal! We are building awareness about the dangers from coal because everyone that breathes air, drinks water, and lives on this planet is affected by the production and burning of coal.” Recently, KFTC and twelve other groups from North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia have joined forces to form Alliance for Appalachia, realizing that together they are a stronger voice against MTR mining. The Alliance received a grant to continue their efforts to preserve the environment.
Teri Blanton is an environmental activist whose commitment to the people and mountains of Kentucky is unwavering. Her focus is on preserving woodlands and mountain streams. As she writes on her website, http://teriblanton.org, “I believe that people and the land should be treated with respect. I believe that governments should represent all of their citizens to the best of their ability, not just the ones with money and power.”
