PORTLAND – Today, Friends of the Columbia Gorge, in coordination with partner organizations in the Power Past Coal coalition and with the volunteer participation of Portland-based Johnny Cash tribute band Counterfeit Cash, released an online music video called “Coal Train Blues.” A melodic, fun, visually rich, take on a serious issue, the video addresses the damage to Gorge lands and water from current levels of coal transportation by rail and the threat posed to the Columbia River and Gorge communities by pending coal export proposals that would transport up to an additional 100 million tons of coal through the Gorge annually. The video is viewable on Friends of the Columbia Gorge’s YouTube channel.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uS1VVDVw5k[/youtube]
With new lyrics written by Friends’ staff, the classic Cash song “Folsom Prison Blues” is transformed into an energetic message about the dangers of current coal traffic, the greed and indifference of the energy companies backing the three remaining coal export proposals, and the importance of defeating these proposals before the coal trains, and the environmental and health ills they portend, become a constant presence in the Gorge and much of the Pacific Northwest. View full press release here.
