By Eric Cravey, Times West Virginian
GRANT TOWN, W.Va. — At least 16 activists were arrested Saturday on trespassing charges during a protest outside the front gate of the coal-fired Grant Town Power Plant.
About 200 protesters from different states carried signs with slogans such as “WV Rising for Good Jobs,” “In my father’s house, there is no room for this Manchin” and “Solidarity With All Coal Miners Just Transition.”
The protest, which was organized by the Morgantown-based group WV Rising, was meant to get the attention of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., in hopes he would abandon his support for fossil fuels and instead support green energy legislation.
Protesters also want Manchin to vote for legislation such as the failed Build Back Better to lift up families living in poverty.
Manchin’s family business, Enersystems, sells waste coal to the power plant – which, in turn, sells the power to First Energy Corp…