As mentioned in climate science watch's diary yesterday, Hansen had agreed to debate with judge-bribing, safety-rules-ignoring, recent-Supreme-Court case loser, and CEO of Massey Energy, Don Blankenship.

Last week the President and CEO of Massey Energy, Don Blankenship, when he learned Dr. James Hansen would be joining protesters tomorrow in a demonstration against mountaintop removal for coal mining, publicly challenged Hansen to a debate on coal burning and climate change. Along with hundreds of others, Hansen is headed to West Virginia to participate in tomorrow’s demonstration, and is expected to risk arrest by marching with protesters to the private property of Massey Energy to make a set of demands. Hansen took Blankenship up on the offer.

So far, the debate hasn't happened -- but the arrests sure have.

Why are we still in this position? Why are guys like Blankenship still blowing 800' off the top of a mountain? Why is the Appalachian Apocalypse unchecked?

Because the Obama administration will not stop this horror.

This is part of a string of increasingly dramatic protests on mountaintop removal and comes after the Obama Administration’s announcement that the EPA will reform, but not abolish, the aggressive strip mining practice. Tuesday’s protest is happening just days before a Congressional hearing titled, "The Impacts of Mountaintop Removal Mining on Water Quality in Appalachia."

Update [2009-6-23 15:28:28 by Devilstower]: Jeff Biggers has additional info and updates over at HP.

UPDATE: from Stephanie Pistello: 1:30pm EST: The state police allowed the coal supporters to line up along the road and then to proceed into playing field to intermingle with activists. The coal supporters are generally being aggressive towards other rally participants and chanting slogans such as "this is our state". The state police have general allowed aggressively (shouting, physical intimidation, standing very near/sitting on vehicles/equipment) activity and only intervene when asked to (including allowing power cords to be ripped out of the wall to silence the PA system).

Update [2009-6-23 16:44:41 by Devilstower]: Not surprisingly, Blankenship is unavailable for debate while Hansen is in town. But he'll be happy to return the day after Hansen leaves. I'm sure hoping they get this Poundin' in the Mountains together.

Images courtesy the folks at Rainforest Action Network.



Daryl Hannah being arrested at the front gates of Massey Energy plant



NASA scientist James Hansen reading a prepared statement just before arrest.

More images are here.