Gov. Joe Manchin doesn’t plan to follow up on recent studies that indicate coal extraction and coal cleaning processes pose a dangerous health risk to people who live and work in coal mining communities. Instead, he has chosen to neglect his sworn duty to protect the citizens of West Virginia.
Through his press secretary, he has said the problem should be passed on to the federal level. What kind of leadership is that?
Historically, people in coal mining communities have had higher rates of lung and heart diseases than noncoal communities. We’ve had to watch our loved ones suffer and die because of apathetic governors before, but now a study at WVU has thrown up a red flag with bells ringing, and this governor is trying to pass the buck.
By refusing to act, this governor has once again confirmed his foregone conclusion that children and adults who live in the coalfields are not worth the cost of a health study.
In June 2005, the governor was hand, delivered a health summary survey taken in the Coal River Valley communities of children who attend Marsh Fork Elementary School. The survey results were as follows: 60 homes with children that attended the school took the survey; 53 of those residences reported their children had health issues, mostly upper respiratory. Another 48 of those 53 also reported headaches, nausea and sore throats; 42 said their children complained of the noise from the coal mine next door and were disturbed by blasting.
He was also given a report from a scientist who is the co-chair of the Governor’s Environmental Quality Board that said the school children were inhaling fine particulate coal dust. The governor’s response was to send someone from the state school board to look for mold. When no mold was discovered, the governor declared he had conducted a thorough investigation.
My fellow West Virginians, that was baloney and the baloney continues. A while back someone dubbed him Baloney Joe Manchin. That is proving to be a much more appropriate title than Gov. Joe Manchin.
I hope that those who cheer this governor when he says he’s a “friend of coal” understand exactly what he means by that. Hint: Add the word baron. I say it’s time to think about another word: Impeachment!
Bo Webb
Naoma
