Students of the Sierra Club Campuses Beyond Coal Campaign at UNC held a rally on the steps of the South Building on the UNC campus on Wednesday, calling on university leaders not to renew contracts with two of its coal suppliers because of the environmental and health damage caused by the companies’ coal mines in Appalachia.
Matt Wasson, ecologist and director of programs for Appalachian Voices, spoke at the rally, urging UNC leaders to consider the destructive nature of mountaintop removal coal mining.
“Breaking UNC’s connection to mountaintop removal coal mining should clearly be the first step, but breaking its dependence on coal should be the next,†Wasson said.
The student group met with UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp earlier on Wednesday to discuss the university’s contracts with coal companies and alternative energy solutions.