in the valleys of appalachia, a battle is being fought over a mountain. it is a battle with severe consequences that affect every american, regardless of their social status, economic background or where they live. it is a battle that has taken many lives and continues to do so the longer it is waged. it is a battle over protecting our health and environment from the destructive power of big coal.

the mining and burning of coal is at the epicenter of america’s struggle to balance its energy needs with environmental concerns. nowhere is that concern greater than in coal river valley, west virginia, where a small but passionate group of ordinary citizens are trying to stop big coal corporations, like massey energy, from continuing the devastating practice of mountain top removal.

instead the communities around coal river mountain propose a wind farm that could produce 328 megawatts of clean power and jobs forever, while the polluting coal would be depleted and the jobs gone in under 15 years. a forward thinking change in local or federal laws could quickly change the tables.

david, himself, never faced a goliath like big coal.

the citizens argue the practice of dynamiting the mountain’s top off to mine the coal within pollutes the air and water, is responsible for the deaths of their neighbors and spreads pollution to other states. yet, regardless of evidence supporting these claims, big coal corporations repeat the process daily in the name of profit. massive profit allows big coal to wield incredible financial influence over lobbyists and government officials in both parties, rewrite environmental protection laws, avoid lawsuits and eliminate more than 40,000 mining jobs, all while claiming to be a miner’s best friend. as our energy needs increase, so does big coal’s control over our future. this fact and a belief that america was founded on the democratic principal that no individual or corporation owns the air and water and we all share the responsibility of protecting it, drives these patriotic citizens and their supporters from outside of appalachia, like robert f. kennedy, jr., to keep fighting.

a passionate and personal tale that honors the extraordinary power of ordinary americans when they fight for what they believe in, “the last mountain” shines a light on america’s energy needs and how those needs are being supplied. it is a fight for our future that affects us all.

“the last mountain” was picked up for theatrical distribution at the sundance film festival where it just premiered in january and it will be in theaters this spring! we ask for your support for “the last mountain” and in the fight for coal river wind, but most importantly for clean energy nationwide. we hope to change hearts and minds in the debate over our energy future and we look forward to the live taping in march!

to see the film’s website go here: www.thelastmountainmovie.com

to see a short report proving that wind is viable on coal river mountain go here: www.crmw.net/crmw/wp-content/uploads/files/crw_brochure.pdf

the full economic study is here:
www.crmw.net/crmw/wp-content/uploads/files/wind_vs_mountaintop_removal_coal_coal_river_mtn_dec2008.pdf

and here is a video on the wind project: www.youtube.com/watch?v=viwo9z3ilro