In the Appalachian mountains of Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia & Tennessee, there is a ticking time-bomb that threatens a rural population with enormous tragedy as a result of mountaintop removal coal mining.

Although Appalachia may seem far from Washington, we are all deeply tied to the region. Not only does much of the electricity powering our homes and businesses comes from Appalachian coal, but the region’s history, music, and famed self-reliance remain a great influence in American culture.

As energy issues become increasingly pressing in America, it is crucial to realize how our neighbors in Appalachia suffer to supply the energy needs of the rest of the nation and to seek alternatives that do not destroy communities and cultures.

In mountaintop removal mining, big coal companies literally blast apart the beautiful Appalachian Mountains, removing up to 1000 feet of elevation to reach seams of coal. The dirt and rock that used to be the mountain are dumped into adjacent valleys, burying Appalachia’s clear mountain streams.

The Whatcom Human Rights Task Force, RE Sources, the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship Green Sanctuary Program, and the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship Social Justice Committee, are pleased to co-sponsor a free presentation on mountaintop removal coal mining. This free multi-media presentation on mountaintop removal and its critical social & environmental justice impacts, called Appalachian Treasures, will be featured at 7pm on Friday, March 7th, 2008 at Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, 1708 I St.

Appalachian Treasures will be presented by members of Appalachian Voices, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing people together to solve the environmental problems having the greatest impact on the central and southern Appalachian Mountains.