Later, we sat and listened to testimonies for a few hours while waiting for, and after, delivering our own. The pattern was very straightforward and yet quite absurd: someone whose livelihood was connected with coal ash, whether they were a professor at the University of Kentucky, the owner of a coal ash recycling firm, or an employee of a coal electricity company, would talk about the detrimental effect a classification of coal ash as “hazardous waste” would have on their industry, and how that classification was unjustified to begin with. Nearly every person who spoke against classification as “hazardous” at some point said that it was scientifically proven that coal ash was not dangerous to human health. Their testimonies were often passionate and heartfelt, and I sympathized with them because many honest, hardworking people truly will suffer economically if coal ash is ultimately classified as a hazardous waste material.

My sympathy for them, however, was more or less nullified when I heard dozens of testimonies, often immediately preceding or following those of coal ash industry members, in which stories and first hand accounts of serious health problems, from asthma to cancer, due to coal ash and scientific data listing the toxic substances (such as arsenic and lead) in the ash, were related. Clearly someone was twisting the data, and as painful as I know it will be for people in industries dependent upon coal ash to deal with, I can only hope that the EPA stands strong in their duty to protect citizens and the environment, and rules to classify coal ash under subtitle C, as a “hazardous waste,” so that the price of coal becomes more self-evident and we can begin to implement sources of power that don’t destroy us as we use them.

https://sites.google.com/site/coalfreeiu/

Purdue is IU’s rival, yet our resistance to become coal-free is barely better than Purdue building another boiler. Let’s follow BSU’s lead and make Indiana University coal-free to show those boilermakers what’s up!!!!!

Look for us at the IU Student Involvement Fair next Wednesday, Sept. 8 at the Indiana Memorial Union! Or for more information about the campaign or ways to get involved, email us at coalfreeiu@gmail.com!

If you are not already on our mailing list or haven’t heard from us in a while go to listserv.indiana.edu and sign up for free! If you can’t figure out how this works you can always email us at coalfreeiu@indiana.edu and we will add you to the list!

-Coal Free IU

Where: Grand Hall of the Neal Marshall Black Culture Center

Sponsored by the Creative Writing Program at Indiana University

Another reminder that tonight is our Social Action Event at 8 in Ballantine Hall Room 003.  We’re going to be signing petitions, making posters, writing letters, etc.  to get the campaign rolling.  Hope to see you there!

Also, here is a link to an IDS article written yesterday by Nathan Dixon.  He encourages cap and trade legislation but ALSO lets his readers know what an awesome job Coal Free IU is doing!  Keep it up, you’re doing wonderful!

-Coal Free IU

-Coal Free IU