Green groups want OH college pres. off coal board (OSU's Gordon Gee)

[mod mom]

Green groups want OH college pres. off coal board

By: The Associated Press | 13 May 2009 | 11:56 AM

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Environmentalists are intensifying their calls for Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee (GHEE) to step down from the board of a Richmond, Va.-based coal mining company in advance of the company's shareholder meeting Tuesday.

The 65-year-old Gee has sat on the board of Massey Energy Co. since 2000 and chairs its safety, environmental and public policy committee. Environmentalists view the company's use of the controversial extraction technique known as mountaintop shearing as counter to Gee's public efforts to promote green energy jobs.

Gee has said he believes he can do more good on the board than off it. Company filings show he earned $219,261 in cash and stock from Massey last year and holds 28,191 shares of company stock.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/30724223

[OhioBlue]

1. Massey sucks.

I have an extended family member who works at one of their mines. I toured it over Thanksgiving. It is a huge mountain top removal mine - it took my breath away and brought tears to my eyes. It looked like gaping wounds on earth. They are also very anti-union and hostile to the few remaining union members under their employment. They have a huge pile of gob in a valley, the locals have fought to keep their family cemeteries in tact.

Oh - and I got to see the acres of trees that Massey planted and won an award for - yeah... they planted some "trees" - they were seedlings planted with machines and almost all dead when I visited. They totally suck at any reclamation efforts that they try to pretend they do.

They don't even let the locals use the trees that they clear cut for firewood or anything - they just throw them along side the mountain.

Massey is appalling. I don't think Gee is gonna do any good on the board - if those are indeed his true intentions. He should resign.