On October 20, 2009 at NYC's Town Hall, The Sierra Club and Earthjustice will present a special screening of 'Coal Country', the new feature length documentary that confronts the devastating effects of mountaintop removal coal mining in Appalachia. The film reveals the truth about modern coal mining and is told by the people directly involved, both working miners and activists who are battling the coal companies in Appalachia. It’s a “new civil war,” as families and communities are deeply split over the issue of mountaintop removal mining (MTR). The tops of mountains are blasted away, exposing seams of coal, while debris is pushed into valleys and streams. Residents endure health problems, dirty water in their wells, dust and grime on their floors. The miners are frightened that, without MTR, they’ll lose their jobs and won’t be able to feed their families.
The NYC event is part of a series of concerts, previews, and screenings of 'Coal Country' across the USA leading up to the release of the film on DVD on November 10, 2009 (order below thru GH ), the companion CD
is available now. The film will debut worldwide on Discovery Networks' PLANET GREEN channel November 14, 2009.
The Town Hall event will feature musical performances by Diana Jones, the Klezmatics
, Kathy Mattea
and Jean Ritchie as well as special guests and a screening of excerpts from the film. Written, produced and directed by Phylis Geller with executive producer Mari-Lynn Evans, 'Coal Country' fearlessly confronts the repercussions of surface coal mining - the type of mining that requires the complete defoliation of mountaintops in conjunction with aggressive blasting, permanently altering the landscape and natural environment.
WHAT: 'Coal Country' screening and concert featuring special guests
WHEN: October 20, 2009 @ 6:30pm
WHERE: New York Town Hall
123 W 43rd St.
NYC, NY 10036-6507
More @ CoalCountrytheMovie.com , SierraClub.org and EarthJustice.org