Coal company target of vandalism

southeast us | environment | repost Friday October 05, 2007 10:16 by anonymous

Coal company target of vandalism
BONNIE BATES / Staff Writer
http://www.thecoalfieldprogress.com/
Wise County, Virginia

The Wise County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the incident.

On Sept. 28, at least two newspapers and another organization received an e-mail from the e-mail address "mountainprotector1969@yahoo.com," which was linked to the name Kelly Reed.

The e-mail states:

"In defense of the mountains,

In celebration of the fall equinox on Sunday Sept 23 At the Rhoda mountaintop removal coal mine site in Wise County, VA we sabotaged 1 drill rig, 2 D11R Caterpillar bulldozers, and a goliath ‘Terex’ earth mover. We have watched the oldest mountains on earth be destroyed by greedy coal companies. This is an assault on the people of Appalachia and the land we depend on for life. The coal companies have raped and pillaged the land and people of these mountain for over one hundred years. To destroy these beautiful mountains for the sake of coal is a crime. This devastation must come to an end."

The e-mail was signed, "Committee to defend the land and people."

The coal company called the Wise County Sheriff’s Office on Monday, Sept. 24, when a drill they were attempting to use did not work, Investigator W.C. Darnell said Tuesday.

Darnell was unaware of the e-mail until asked about it by a reporter.

The mine site is closed on Sunday, when the vandalism took place.

Investigators found $100,000 worth of damage to the earth mover, Darnell said.

They did not find damage to the bulldozers which were mentioned in the e-mail, he said.

The drill belonged to A&G, he said. The earth mover formerly belonged to A&G, but had been sold to Carter Machinery Co., according to Darnell.

The damage to the earth mover was focused on the engine, hydraulics and electrical systems, Darnell said.

The person or people who committed the crime went onto the property with the sole intention of doing damage, Darnell said. In fact, he said, they brought all tools they would need with them.

When the person or people are caught, they will be charged with felony destruction of property and trespassing, according to Darnell.

Anyone with information should contact the sheriff’s department at 276/328-3566, he said. All calls will remain anonymous.

A&G has been targeted by environmentalists in the past. In September 2004, the organization Katuah Earth First! claimed responsibility for chaining and padlocking the company’s Wise office building and using toothpicks and glue to prevent employees from opening company locks.