Gristmill readers have heard before about Marsh Fork Elementary school, in Raleigh County, West Virginia, perched about 300 feet downhill from a massive, leaking coal refuse dam holding back billions of gallons of toxic coal slurry (click below the fold for a picture).

As we speak, a group of about 60 activists has occupied the office of West Virginia Governor Manchin, demanding that he build a safer school for the Marsh Fork kids. About 11 people have been arrested so far.

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For updates on the situation, see this post and watch It’s Getting Hot In Here throughout the day.

Marsh Fork Elementary
Photo by Vivian Stockman. That’s the school in the lower left.