The letter states, "as a citizen and a voter, I question your
accepting thousands of dollars of campaign contributions from Ohio
Valley
Coal Co. and your flying around in the coal company president's private
jet. The state appears bought off by the coal company" at the
expense of
Dysart Woods.
The letter also cites the fact that Ohio University's lawyer has
told the ODMR that it would be acting illegally if it grants Ohio Valley
Coal Co. Permit #7 that would allow mining within the watershed of
Dysart
Woods.
Yet the ODMR appears to be ready to make a decision any day.
An
ODMR study released Nov. 6 was based on fundamentally flawed information
-- yet the ODMR is yet to correct its mistake. Furthermore, the
study
said that considerably more research was necessary to determine whether
permit 7 would impact Dysart Woods.
The citizens' letter to be turned in to the governor states, "As
an Ohio citizen, I ask you to extend the comment period for permit
#7, and
that you deny this permit that would destroy one of the last virgin
forest's left in Ohio....More than 5,500 citizens have signed petitions
opposing permit #7. Thousands of letters have been written to
the ODMR,
you and the ODNR. The Belmont County Farm Bureau, the Ohio University
Faculty Senate, Student Senate and Graduate Senates passed strong
resolutions opposing permit #7."
The letter concludes, "If democracy, not bribery, is alive today,
you must deny permit 7 and save Dysart Woods as a legacy for the future."
Hundreds of citizens are pledged to act to save Dysart Woods should
the
ODMR rule against the will of the people and the law and pass permit
7.
Citizens are urged to contact Chad Kister at email:
chad@pageville.com, or phone: (614) 594-7287 or write P.O. Box 31,
Athens,
Ohio 45701 to get on the contact list to save Dysart Woods. Monetary
donations are also sorely needed. Checks can be written to "Dysart
Defenders" and mailed to P.O. Box 31, Athens Ohio 45701.