Action Alert

July 03, 2003

WV-DOT releases proposed list of coal haul roads

Commerce Committee of US Senate passes "Safe Highways and Infrastructure Protection Act" - Thanks for your letters!

"Coal Bucket Outlaw" on WV Public TV

WV-DOT releases proposed list of coal haul roads

On Tuesday July 1, WV Department of Transportation Secretary Fred Van Kirk released an proposed list of roads that may be included in the "Coal Resource Transportation System" established when the legislature passed SB 583 earlier this year. Trucks weighing 126,000 pounds will be able to legally travel these roads is they make the final list, which will be published January 1, 2004. By law, the DOT must accept public comments on the proposed list. A 90-day comment period will begin once an interim list is released and distributed to DOT district offices and the county courthouses of the counties included in the system. According to VanKirk the interim list will be made public in October. The system will cover more that 1,700 miles of road in 15 counties. For more on the DOT proposal read this Gazette news story. You can also view the proposed list (pdf). 

Return to Index

Commerce Committee of US Senate passes "Safe Highways and Infrastructure Protection Act" - Thanks for your letters! (A message from the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks)

Subject: You Helped! Length Limit Amendment Passed Out of Senate Committee

I'd like to thank everyone who wrote a letter, sent a fax or e-mail, or made a call to Sen. Jay Rockefeller telling him to oppose bigger trucks and support the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act, S. 1140. At a U.S. Senate Commerce Committee hearing yesterday (June 26, 2003), the committee agreed to amendments that would freeze the length of truck trailers at 53 feet and halt the spread of multi-trailer trucks like triple trailer trucks. It was a close vote, and I'm pleased to report that Sen. Rockefeller voted to support this amendment.

Due to your hard work and support, Sen. Rockefeller learned that the people of West Virginia are not interested in seeing bigger trucks on their roads and took appropriate action.

On July 14, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will vote on the weight provisions of S. 1140 - capping weights of single tractor trailer trucks at 80,000 pounds. Hopefully that vote will be successful, too, and the Senate will have a transportation bill with stronger truck length and weight limits.

Once again, congratulations on a job well done. Thank you for all of your hard work and support. If any of you have any more questions or concerns about longer, heavier and more dangerous trucks, please contact me at 1-888-222-8123.

Great job, everyone! Leigh Anne Terry Coalition Against Bigger Trucks

For more information and background on the "Safe Highways and Infrastructure Protection Act" read this action alert or visit the website of the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks at.

Return to Index

"Coal Bucket Outlaw" on WV Public TV 

The documentary film "Coal Bucket Outlaw" was scheduled to air on WV Public Broadcasting this Friday, July 4, as part of Appalshop's Headwaters series. The broadcast has been rescheduled. "Coal Bucket Outlaw" and the film "Applewise" will now air on July 18 beginning at 10pm. The schedule for the remaining Headwaters films to air on WV Public Broadcasting is as follows:

July 11 - "Hazel Dickens: Its Hard to Tell the Singer from the Song" will be re-broadcast.

July 18 - "Coal Bucket Outlaw" & "Applewise"

July 25 - "Stranger with a Camera" All broadcasts are scheduled for 10pm. For more information on films in the Headwaters series visit http://www.appalshop.org/headwaters/.

Return to Index