I remember him.

Yes, they will probably die. But the point of the story is that it's an experimental study to determine the best planting methods before the blight resistant hybrids are released. The American Chestnut Foundation encourages the planting of chestnut trees, even if they will eventually die. Some were recently planted at Ijams:
(link...)

China dollars....

"Meanwhile mining companies are enjoying a windfall. Freight cars in Appalachia are brimming with coal for export"

"Consol is trying to decide whether to expand output at its Appalachian mines and to add capacity in Baltimore's harbor."

(link...)

Good old fashioned greed.

Hillary (in response to a question about mountaintop removal):

I am concerned about it for all the reasons people state, but I think its a difficult question because of the conflict between the economic and environmental trade-off that you have here.

I'm not an expert. I don't know enough to have an independent opinion, but I sure would like people who could be objective, understanding both the economic necessities and environmental damage to come up with some approach that would enable us to retrieve the coal but would enable us to do it in a way that wouldn't damage the living standards and the other important qualities associated with people living both under the mountaintop and people who are along the streams.

You know, maybe there is a way to recover those mountaintops once they have been stripped of the coal. You know, I think we've got to look at this from a practical perspective.

Chestnuts! oh, wait...

Obama:

Strip-mining is an environmental disaster! We have to find more environmentally sound ways of mining coal, than simply blowing the tops off mountains.

[and yes, Andy, I know Obama's owned by BIG COAL]

I'd like to urge Tennesseans who would like to stop MTR mining in our state to call Gov Bredesen today or Monday. Bredesen has said he will decide on Tuesday whether to support the act.

The number is (615-741-2001 or 615-532-4562) e-mail phil.bredesen@state.tn.us

Mention that you are supporting house bill 3348 and senate bill 3822.

____________________________________
Less is the new More - Karrie Jacobs

LEAF has more on the message we need to get to the governor and our legislators. Click on Legislative Toolkit, and then call or e-mail the governor and your state rep and senator today!

Now, LEAF's take is based on their religious perspective, which not everyone shares, but I admire the hell out of their effort.

Leaf Action Alert March 21, 2008

(Forward Freely. If this alert was forwarded to you by a friend and you want to follow Tennessee's Mountain Top Removal legislation yourself, sign up for LEAF's weekly updates at (link...).)

Dear caretakers of creation,

Ready for a good news week? Pat and I sure were, and this week we got it.

Last week, the Attorney General's opinion said that the TN Scenic Vista's Protection Act stepped over into the federal government's authority to regulate mining. That was an unexpected blow. This week, we revised the bill and resubmitted it to the AG for a new opinion that is expected early next week. The ban on altering and disturbing the ridge line and mining within 100 feet of our streams remain. The EIS provision, that seemed to be the root of the Attorney General's concerns, was removed. The bill is still very strong and more grounded in long-recognized areas of state control. An EIS can be pursued by other means. Say a prayer for a supportive opinion next week.

We got lots of good media this week in the Knoxville News-Sentinel and in the Chattanooga Times Free-Press, in part because a bill to increase the coal severance tax, offered by a proponent of our bill, Senator Doug Jackson, was in the news. The Governor had a press conference Wednesday regarding the State showing leadership for responsible energy use. In an article in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, the Governor was quoted as saying: "I don't think we should be a cheap place to mine coal."

Senator Jackson said, "We have invested over $100 million in Sundquist Wildlife Management Area. If a company is going to go in there and blast those mountains away, we at least don't need to be subsidizing it." Amen to that.

Dan Roling, President and CEO of National Coal, said that his company had invested about $100 million in its Tennessee holdings in anticipation of expanding operations. He indicated the tax legislation, and another bill that sponsors say would prohibit "mountain top removal" mining (our bill) would wreck company plans.

If there is any question about National Coal's intention to blast away our mountain peaks and to mine through our streams, that should pretty much clear it up.

Tuesday was a fun day. Grammy-awarding singer Kathy Mattea lobbied our bill, thanking and having her photo made with our sponsors, and meeting with undecided legislators. A photo of her with Pat and me and our families will soon show up on our website. Kathy is a dear person, and the perfect spokesperson for LEAF. Her longstanding care for Creation comes out of the daily practice of her Christian faith.

I did a presentation for the House Subcommittee Wednesday. It went well, but those guys are a tough audience. Stay on them until the vote on April 2. That subcommittee continues to be the most likely pinch point.

The long-delayed vote in the Senate Committee is next Wednesday, March 26th, at 9:30. The votes look good, but there is considerable pressure on our votes to not show up, which in the Senate is the same as a no vote. Pray for courage for our Senators. The whole hour is set aside for discussion of our bill. I expect it will be interesting to watch, either on the Legislative website video feed, or live. Please come if you are inclined.

Finally, there is Governor Bredesen. Our dear Kathy Mattea called his office for us. In spite of her large stage presence, cold calling the Governor got her out of her comfort zone, but she did it anyway. Bless all of you (including Kathy) who are confronting fear when you make these calls. On Wednesday, the Governor's office called Kathy back and said they supported our bill. Yippee!!

Small problem --- when I went by Thursday to confirm that this was support we could announce via press release, I was told there were conversations that would need to take place, first. I did what I could to put those conversations in motion, but I also needed our bill to move up in the pile of important matters Governor Bredesen has to consider. That is why Pat put out the e-mail alert for phone calls to the Governor yesterday. (615-741-2001) In Nashville, the Governor is the 500 pound gorilla. We need him. His office is closed until Monday, but if you haven't called, please call Monday and Tuesday and ask your friends to do so as well. You can also email him at: phil.bredesen@state.tn.us.

Senator Finney, Bart Melton and I have a meeting with Dan Roling and the lobbyist for National Coal, Chuck Laine, on Tuesday at 11:30. Prayers of love and peace for Dan and Chuck, and prayers holding the meeting up in the Light are encouraged.

I ran across a great quote today by the American writer, Sy Safransky --- The light returns- no matter how many times we've been wrong. The light doesn't vote for president or run for president. The light doesn't study itself in the mirror, compare itself to last year's light, wonder how many light years it has left. The light isn't afraid of darkness. When the light arrives, darkness flees.

Ever since I read that I have been humming my favorite childhood Bible school song, This Little Light of Mine. Join me, my friends.

Dawn Coppock

Legislative Director

LEAF

Here's a clue: today's editorial-

(link...)

Clear?