A coal company is trying to turn our national forest into their private haul road—and it’s up to us to stop it.
For over two years, the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy and partners have tracked how a rogue coal company has been illegally running oversized trucks through the Monongahela National Forest above the South Fork Cherry River. The result: sediment-clouded streams pushing the endangered candy darter—and the eastern hellbender, which is now proposed for Endangered Species Act listing—closer to the brink, and diminishing clean water for everyone.
Now, South Fork Coal Company wants a retroactive “Valid Existing Rights” (VER) pass, claiming—without hard evidence—that it qualifies for the one narrow exemption to the longstanding ban on surface mining in national forests. If the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement grants that request, the decision will reverberate far beyond West Virginia. A successful VER determination here could open the floodgates to new mining activity in national forests across the country.
In a moment when the current administration is working overtime to give away our public lands to extractive interests, this fight is a line in the sand. OSMRE has opened a short public comment window, and every single voice matters.
What to do right now:
- Submit your comment. Send our suggested comment letter to OSMRE or, better yet, tell OSMRE in your own words why these forests and streams matter to you. Personal stories carry weight.
- Spread the word. Forward this alert, share our posts on social media, and rally your networks. The louder we are, the harder we are to ignore.
- Chip in if you can. Your donation fuels our legal work, research, and outreach efforts. Every dollar fortifies the front line that stands between industrial extraction and our public lands.
- Stay engaged. We’ll keep you posted on hearings and the next steps where your presence can tip the scales.
We need every one of you in this fight. This is our chance to defend the Monongahela National Forest, uphold the rule of law, and keep our public lands a haven for anglers, hikers, and future generations. Stake your claim, hold the line, and let’s finish what we started.
Together, we can set a precedent that protects every national forest from coast to coast.
The Cherry River, candy darter, hellbender, and native brook trout all depend on our willingness to stand up and say: Enough. Deny the VER request. Defend the forest.
Want the full backstory? Dive into the latest story in The Highlands Voice for a detailed look at how we got here and what’s next. You can read the article here.
