Update from inside the Capitol: Tanya Turner

Tanya Turner grew up in Bell County, Kentucky.  She is 24 years old and comes from a long line of coal miners, haulers, and union men and women.  Her dad worked for Kentucky Utilities and her mom raised her and her sisters as a single mom.

"I have multiple reasons to be here.  I came inititally to support people I work with and organize with in Harlan County.  But also as a young woman who has been a part of this movement for a few years, I want to live in Eastern Kentucky and raise a family here and homestead like my great grandmother did.  If strip mining is allowed to happen many more years, I'm afraid that won't be possible.  You can't live off the land and provide for yourself with tainted, toxic water.

"I think it's pretty important that this group represent a large age group and show the multiple generations of energy in the movement.  I know that there are plenty of Eastern Kentuckians who want more for the place they identify with, and I think they are all here in spirit with me.  We have a lot to learn from the older generation in terms of energy and knowledge and power in order to move this forward in order to see a victory."

Update from inside the Capitol: Rick Handshoe

Rick Handshoe is a retired Kentucky State Police radio technician and lives in Floyd County. 

"Well, I'm tired.  I'm tired of meeting with these people.  If they think that's all their job is, then that's why I'm here.  I want to see action.  I fought for five years to protect the stream rnniung through my property.  I lost.  After two years, it came back a little, but now it is completely dead.  Nothing alive in the stream.  The EPA has told me that in my lifetime, they don't think it will ever come back, and they don't know that it will EVER come back.

"My concern at this point is the health of my family and my neighbors.  Do we need to leave?  I don't want to find out ten years from now that I should have got my daughter out of there.  Everybody affected by this stream and their children and familities could be in danger.  This is drinking water for everybody, not just me.  It needs to be brought to everybody's attention.  This is just not an Eastern Kentucky problem.  And people are not outsiders just because they live outside of Appalachia.  They are affected by the water running outside my home. 

"I spoke to everybody from the inspector to the commissioner to Governor Beshear last year.  And I'm back again, asking for help once again.  But it can be too late if this goes on for a few more years.  Coal companies will not have to fight us, because all the coal will be gone.  And our mountains too. And then our children and grandchildren will be left with trying to repair this, and I'm afraid of the health issues that will cripple this nation."

To speak with Rick Handshoe, call 859-779-1594.

Update from inside the Capitol: Martin Mudd

Martin Mudd is a graduate student in physics from the University of Kentucky.  He grew up in Louisville.  Here are some of his thoughts on this weekend:

"I feel like this a real step forward for true democratic participatory action in Kentucky.  For too long, people have felt like their only recourse is to vote someone into office.  We've seen that representatives don't always adequately convey our voice and our will.  It's our duty and our right as citizens to use direct democracy to protect our people and our land.  I think it takes courage to take the first step, but it also opens doors for other people to exercise their freedom.  And I think that's something of what we've done here.  I do really appreciate the Governor meeting with us and being so hospitable--he could have just as easily thrown us all in jail, and that's what we were preparing for.  It shows that he too respects the right of citizens to at least redress their grievances with their government. 

"I'm really honored to be here with people that I've gotten to know over the past few years in this movement.  And it's a real milestone that we're taking this action together. 

"I think the real challenge is going to be where do we go from here?  And how do we do it?  Kentucky is really rising up to say that we will no longer be ignored and we will no longer allow the destruction of our land and our people."

Update from inside the Capitol: Herb E. Smith

Herb E. Smith is a filmmaker from Appalshop in Letcher County. 

"I have a number of reasons to be here.  Not the least of which is a longstanding relationship throughout the state with those who have been involved in strip-mining issues.  For example, in 1972, 39 years ago, I was right in this very area to ask the then governor to address the problems with strip mining.  So when you've been involved with something for 40 years, it kind of gets to be a habit.  (Laughs)  It's something that you care about.

"It hasn't all been lost during those 40 years.  But it is true that we are facing a very diffcult-to-win set of circumstances.  We know it's election year, and that always changes the equation when you're asking for redress. 

"So far so good this weekend.  I think people come together partly because they know that there are real consequences out there.  Real people getting hurt.  Real streams getting polluted.  Real mountains being destroyed.  Real communities being pulled apart by these strong forces.  So of course, if you care about those things--and most people do--then you try to look hard at what's going on look inside yourself at the same time and ask, 'What can I do?'

"Another aspect of a weekend like this is about friendship.  Everyone who's been here I've admired for a number of years and worked with.  Wendell (Berry) and I have been involved in a lot of things.  When he calls, you answer.  Once you get here, part of your role is to be a part of the storytelling and the exchange of ideas that is really about the joy of being together and learning and having a series of good conversations with people who care about the same kind of issues.  That's the way that people get bound together.  And there's a kind of laughter and joy--not just hard-nosed issue-serious debate.  People are learning from each other about each other's experiences, and it's pleasurable.  We're a united group."

To speak with Herbie, call 859-779-1594. 

Stream with us live from inside the Capitol

www.ustream.tv/channel/kepentz

Update from inside the Capitol: Stanley Sturgill

Stanley Sturgill is a retired coal miner and federal coal mining inspector with 41 years of service to the industry.  He and 13 others are inside the Kentucky Capitol rallying for change.

Here are some of his thoughts:

"I came to Frankfort on Friday to try to meet with the Governor; we had requested a meeting earlier.  Of course the Governor had time restraints but eventually gave us a few minutes of his time.  We gave him a few of our requests that we wanted to discuss with him, but the Governor disagreed with us on most of our requests.  And then again, we didn't get to tell him everything that we wanted to discuss with him. 

So, the Governor told us that he would be glad to meet with us at a later date, but it's really hard.  We all live in so many far-off places here--I'm from Harlan County.  It's hard for us to get our concerns and ourselves together at one particular time.  So we just told the Governor that we would just wait and maybe talk to him again when he got time.  He told us that he probably wouldn't have any more time Friday.  So we told him we'd just wait on him, and he told us we could wait all weekend if we wanted to.

We spent our first night last night.  I'm 65 years old, and never in my wildest dreams did I figure that I'd be sleeping on the floor of the Governor's office in the state of Kentucky.  But that's just how important I believe this is.  We've got a lot of concerns about our area.  We're going to stay the weekend and try to get a message to the Governor and Mrs. Beshear and see if they want to drop by his office today or tomorrow and talk with us.  I feel like that would be a great opportunity for all of us to get together--especially for the governor. 

I have two big concerns:  one is trying to stop MTR and his decision to sue the EPA.  Second, I'm a strong miners' advocate.  I'm retired, and I questioned the Governor about getting his support for MSHA's comment period about violations and getting some of these mines closed that don't follow the rules and regulations.  He said he wasn't that aware of what was going on, so I'd like to talk more about this with him.  There is a strong pattern of violations--and they're going to lead to more tragedies like Upper Big Branch.  According to the 1997 act, the coal miner is our most precious resource."

To speak more with Stanley, call 859-779-1594.

Interview with Teri Blanton

Teri is inside the Capitol with 13 others who are sticking it out until things change regarding the people, land, and water from Eastern Kentucky.  Here are some of her thoughts:

"I think my biggest worry is that the Governor is protecting the wrong people.  He's protecting the polluters and punishing the protectors--in this case, the EPA.  The continued, intentional incompetence of the Division of Water is poisoning the people of our state.  I think that's the message we want to send.  Yesterday talking with the Governor and asking him to withdraw the lawsuit--what really bothered me is that the EPA figured out that by using accurate science one is able to determine proper conductivity levels of our streams.  I'm glad we now have a Federal Government that is actually using science to make policy.  If the FDA says a drug is safe and then six months later realize it's unsafe, we should pull the drug.  The same thing has happened with the conductivity levels.  The Governor should ask the Division of Water to follow the EPA's direction and enforce the Clean Water Act to its fullest."