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Press Release: Robert Kennedy, Jr., to Speak about Risks of Coal Mining Tomorrow Night in San Francisco
Renowned environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,will discuss his concerns about the environmental risks of coal mining in America, as presented in his new documentary, “Last Mountain” tomorrow night at 6 at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco.
Kennedy argues that Big Coal corporations negate evidence that the current practice of dynamiting the tops of mountains to mine the coal within pollutes air and water. This issue remains one of America’s hottest environmental flashpoints.
Kennedy is focusing on mountain top removal in Appalachia nearly four decades after his father campaigned against strip mining there. Kennedy traveled frequently over several years to West Virginia and compiled nearly 500 hours of footage in the heart of coal country. Although the federal government has gradually tightened restrictions on mountain top removal and there is national moratorium on building new coal power plants, America is still largely a coal fired nation. Kennedy asserts that there is a cleaner, safer way to power the U.S. economy.
Kennedy’s reputation as a defender of the environment stems from a litany of successful lawsuits against polluters. In 1999 he was named one of Time Magazine’s “Heroes for the Planet” for helping Riverkeeper, the watchdog organization dedicated to defending the Hudson River and protecting the drinking water supply of nine million New York City and Hudson Valley residents. He has been published in many periodicals and written several books, including the New York Times’ bestseller Crimes Against Nature (2004), which calls into question the environmental policies of the US. In 2009 Kennedy was named one of Rolling Stone's "100 Agents of Change."
Kennedy graduated from Harvard College in 1976 and obtained a law degree from the University of Virginia. He also obtained an LL.M. from the Pace University School of Law.
DATE: Thursday, June 16, 2011
TIME: 5:30 p.m. check-in begins | 6 p.m. program
PLACE: SF Commonwealth Club Office, 595 Market St. 2nd Floor, San Francisco
PRICE: Regular: $20 standard, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID). Premium (seating in first few rows) $45 standard, $30 members. To buy tickets call 415/597- 6705 or register at www.commonwealthclub.org
