October 30, 1997

Contact: OU Graduate Student Chad Kister: 614-594-7287 or chad@pageville.com

Student Senate calls for OU opposition to permit 7

 Student Senate unanimously passed a resolution calling upon the
Ohio University administration to "adopt a position of strict opposition
to the granting of permits 7 and 8."

 The resolution also called upon the Ohio Division of Mines and
Reclamations to deny permits 7 and 8 filed by Ohio Valley Coal Co. that
would damage and destroy Dysart Woods.

 Environmental Awareness Commissioner Jeff Baran will write OU
President Robert Glidden and Vice President for Administration Gary North
and ask that they take a strong stand and actively oppose permit #7.

 Further, The Student Senate Resolution called upon the OU
administration to "hasten its efforts to file a Lands Unsuitable For
Mining petition to protect Dysart Woods.

 The OU Campus Greens had a table at the College Gate all day
Wednesday and Thursday.  Campus Greens President Chad Kister will deliver
more than 400 letters Friday calling upon the ODMR to deny permit 7 and to
extend the comment period beyond October.  Kister will also deliver more
than 800 petition signatures to Lisa Morris.

 The ODMR has received thousands of letters asking that they oppose
permit #7 that would violate the watershed buffer zone of Dysart Woods.
The petition now well exceeds 5,500 signatures.

 "We need people to attend the upcoming rally on November 8 in
Columbus in defense of Dysart Woods.  We will meet at Morton Hall parking
lot at noon to carpool."

 The League of Women Voters is sponsoring a Dysart Woods forum Nov.
6 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the meeting room of the Athens Public Library on
Home Street.  Speakers include Facilities Planning Director John Kotowski,
Plant Biology Professor Irwin Ungar and Associate Plant Biology Professor
Brian McCarthy.  Margaret Cohn will moderate.