COAL TRAIN

Published 2011/07/08 at 10:16 am

Exposing the climatic consequences of increasing coal production

Climate Ground Zero is a network of international, national and local organisations and climate activists working to end dirty energy exports from the Northern Rockies and Alberta. Their goal is to put pressure on decision makers and the oil, gas, coal and tar sands extraction industry through grassroots organising and non violent direct action.

Coal Trains leave every day from Montana’s Powder River Basin, the site of the world’s largest coal deposit. Current plans are to triple production. The aim of the project is to confront the coal companies and their political supporters and to draw attention to the trains that go through most of Montana’s major cities, through the Colombia Gorge to power plants in Oregon and Washington. It will create an indigenous resistance in the sparsely populated Eastern part of the state and then connect with more progressive elements in the liberal cities in Montana. It is hoped to build on an alliance with farmers, first nations and Alberta environmental groups akin to the ‘white train’ model from the anti-nuclear weapons campaign in the early 80’s. Additionally the project will build support from clean energy advocates in the major cities of Oregon and Washington where the energy is used.