Hailing from Bob White, West Virginia, Maria Gunnoe is a firsthand witness to the devastation caused by destructive coal mining methods. The central Appalachian region, while also home to coal deposits, is home to a unique and important ecosystem with diverse hardwood forests and pure water that is consumed by millions of people. Wild ginseng also thrives in the region and has been picked by generations. Today, its high demand in Asia makes it a lucrative business for the inhabitants of the impoverished area.
The industry that has had the most impact, in the past and today, is the coal industry. Gunnoe herself is the daughter of a coal-miner, and her roots in Boone County, West Virgina date back to her Cherokee relatives who fled there in the early 1800s. Raised to respect the land, Gunnoe saw the negative impact of environmentally irresponsible mining when, in 2001, a mountaintop removal mine was built next to her home.
The mine caused excessive flooding of her property and pollution that contaminated her land and water. This prompted Gunnoe to take action. She joined several organizations, including the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition where she organized meetings and workshops teaching people to use nonviolent protest and activism to fight mining. In March of 2007, OVEC won a lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers that would repeal mountaintop removal valley fill mining permits in West Virginia if they were given without considerable environmental consideration. However, the Army Corps of Engineers went on to grant two permits for Jupiter Holdings to construct two new valley fills at the Boone County Mine adjacent to Gunnoe's property. OVEC countered the action in court, yet when asked to testify, the 20 people Gunnoe expected to testify with refused after having been intimidated by a group of coal miners, leaving her to take the stand as the sole community testifier.
The community reaction has been mixed, mainly because coal mining is the largest source of employment. Gunnoe has been threatened, her children harassed. Her daughter's dog was shot in an act of intimidation and wanted posters of Gunnoe have been posted in the local grocery store, among many other incidents. Despite the intimidation and threats she has received, Gunnoe continues to fight the coal companies. At present, she advocating for the Clean Water Act. Her resilience is astounding and her grassroots connection to the land lies at the heart of her motivation. She writes in a firsthand account found on www.stopmountaintopremoval.org, stating,
"My yard was completely washed out. My fruit trees are gone. My nut trees are gone. I woke up the next morning and looked at this massive trench in my front yard and just really…it took me three days to absorb it. I went from crying – sobbing – to being very mad. This was three years ago, and I’m still mad. And honestly, I’m a little madder than I was then because I realize how many tentacles this evil has. It goes all the way to Washington, D.C. And if I have to go up against it and fight for my home, I’m goin’ against it. It’s even the United States government. And that alone is pretty intimidating. But at the same time, so is that wall of water sittin’ back up on that mountain waitin’ for me. "
Goldman Prize Biography
Ginseng in Appalachia
Video on Gunnoe
Gunnoe Describes Impact of Mountaintop Removal
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