Sludge

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Nina and Mickey McCoy interview still - Sludge

Date of Production: 2005
Duration: Run time: 0:41:22
Creators: Salyer, Robert (is director); Appalshop, Inc (is producer); Salyer, Robert (is producer)
Contributors: Brock, Walter (is camera operator); Gray, Joe (is camera operator); Salyer, Robert (is camera operator); Smith, Herb E. (is camera operator); Wilson, Tucker (is contributing artist); Preece, Dan (is contributing artist); Spadaro, Jack (is interviewee); McCoy, Nina (is interviewee); McCoy, Mick (is interviewee)
Summary: Sludge is a documentary about a coal sludge pond disaster in Martin County, KY. On October 11, 2000, a pond in which coal-production waste was stored broke through an underground mine, causing a 306 million gallon spill that killed all aquatic life along 30 miles of river, damaged municipal water systems, and caused millions of dollars in property damage. Filmed over four years, the film chronicles the aftermath of the disaster, the Mine Safety and Health Administration whistleblower case of Jack Spadaro, and the threat of coal sludge ponds throughout the Appalachian mountains.
External Links: Purchase this film

Topics (Library of Congress)

Mine accidents, Appalachian Region, Coal mine waste, Coal mines and mining--Waste disposal

Geographical Areas (Library of Congress)

Kentucky

Genre (Library of Congress)

Documentary films

Description

Appalshop Films presents a film by Robert Salyer.
Produced and directed by Robert Salyer.
Camera by Walter Brock, Joseph Gray, Robert Salyer, Herb E. Smith. Sound by Jamez Clay, Laura Doggett, Anthony Slone, Herb E. Smith.
Aerial photography: Joseph Gray.
Assistant editing: Shawn Lind, Lydia Moyer.
Production assistance: Machlyn Blair, Lucy Carrigan, Will Dodson, Debbie Gibson, Michael Harrington, Alexis Hunt.
Foley artist: Tucker Wilson.
Cartoons: Dan Preece.
Interviews: Lilly Adkins, Judy Bonds, Monroe Cassady, Link Chapman, Glenn Cornette, Mick McCoy, Nina McCoy, Greg Preece, Larry Preece, Jack Spadaro, Vivian Stockman, Bo Webb. Archival footage courtesy of WGBH Media Library and Archives.
Film Processing: DuArt Film Labs.

Interviewees: Lilly Adkins, Dennis Hatfield (President, Martin County Coal), Nina McCoy, Mike McCoy, Jack Spadaro (Mine Health and Safety Academy), Larry Preece, Carl Boone (Mine Safety and Health Administration), Thomas Meikle (Massey Energy), Monroe Cassady, Judy Bonds (Coal River Mountain Watch), Vivian Stockman, Bo Webb.
Captions: "On October 11, 2000, a coal sludge pond in Martin County, Kentucky broke into an underground mine." "Over 300 million gallons of coal waste emptied into Coldwater Fork and Wolf Creek." "90 miles of polluted streams. 27,000 residents with contaminated water. 1.6 million fish killed." "Wolf Creek Community Meeting." "Sheldon Clark High School Inez, Kentucky." "On February 26, 1972, a sludge dam collapsed at Buffalo Creek, 125 people died." "Cleanup beings on Coldwater Fork." "Whitesville, West Virginia." "MSHA issues two violations and fines Martin County Coal $110,000." "Charleston, West Virginia." "Coldwater FOrk four years after spill." "In October 2004, after nearly two years fighting for his job, Jack Spadaro decided to take an early retirement."
Footage: Interview with Glenn Cornette, October 14, 2000. Buffalo Creek, West Virginia.

Original music by Jeff Barbra and Sarah Pirkle.

Thanks to Coal River Mountain Watch, Grandad's Diner, Helicopter Flite Services, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, Kentucky State University, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Sheldon Clark High School, St. Francis High School. Special thanks to Amamnda Allen, Morgan Atkinson, Amy Attaway, Alan Banks, Elizabeth Barret, Jill Carson, Avery Clay, Vanessa Clay, Aron Conaway, Dave Cooper, Shirley Cornette, Ann Currie, Joe Esposito, Charlie Feathers, Mia Frederick, Stephen George, Mark Grayson, Maria Gunnoe, Tom Hansell, Jerry Hardt, Joe and Zelma Hicks, Jessica Holbrook, MIchael Hunt, Hallie Jones, Josh Jones, Loyal Jones, Burt Lauderdale, Michelle Mattioli, Davitt McAteer, Annalyse McCoy, Josey McCoy, Chippy McNeish, Derek Mullins, Les Newton, Colonel Tom Parker, Ned Pillersdorf, Shawn Poynter, Erik Reece, Reba Rye, Julie Shepherd, Evan Smith, Joe Szakos, Patty Wallace, Jim Webb, Jack Wright.

Funded by Appalachian Community Fund, Appalshop Production and Education Fund, Christian Appalachian Project, The Funding Exchange, Kentucky Arts Council, Kentucky Coalition, Kentucky Educational Television, Nathan Cummings Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts.

Subjects

Environment, Coal Industry

Related Collection

Series VIII. Appalshop Films, 2000-2015

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