SUNDIAL, W.Va. -- More than 30 people -- including actress Daryl Hannah and NASA climate scientist James Hansen -- were arrested Tuesday in the latest protest in a growing civil disobedience campaign against mountaintop removal in Southern West Virginia.

Thirty-one protesters, including former Congressman Ken Hechler, were charged with obstructing officers and impeding traffic after they sat down in the middle of W.Va. 3 outside Massey Energy's Goals Coal preparation plant in Raleigh County.

Protesters dropped their initial plan to enter the Massey operation, and risk arrest for trespassing, when several hundred coal miners, family members and other industry supporters blocked the entrance to the site. One Massey supporter also was arrested and charged with battery during a brief confrontation with protesters, police said.

"Tensions were pretty high," said State Police Sgt. Michael Baylous. "But nobody got hurt, and we're pleased with that."

Those arrested in the protest were among several hundred people who gathered for an anti-mountaintop removal rally, held just down the road in a field adjacent to Marsh Fork Elementary School. Organizers picked the site because of the school's proximity -- less than 300 feet -- to Massey's operations, especially the huge slurry impoundment up the hollow above the school.

Earlier this year, mountaintop removal opponents began a campaign of sneaking onto mine sites to chain themselves to equipment and hang anti-mining banners. Environmental groups are promising a long summer of such actions, in part to try to push the Obama administration to ban mountaintop removal.

Protesters have begun drawing a strong link between mountaintop removal and climate change, arguing that the most environmentally damaging forms of mining should be the first to go as the nation seeks out greener forms of energy.

"We have to phase out greenhouse emissions over the next 20 years," Hansen said during an interview before his arrest. "Where should you start? Well, mountaintop removal is producing only 7 percent of the nation's coal, and it's a dangerous practice."

During a brief speech at the rally, Hansen said that continuing mountaintop removal defeats the Obama administration's efforts to deal with global warming.

"We must raise the pressure to do what is right," Hansen said. "President Obama remains the best hope -- perhaps the only hope -- but he needs our help to overcome the political realities of compromise."

Speeches at the rally were often difficult to hear, drowned out at times by a large crowd of miners and their families who gathered around the stage and frequently shouted at and tried to argue with the speakers. Other miners blew air horns, revved motorcycle engines and blasted car stereos, at one point cranking up the 1984 song, "We're Not Gonna Take It," by Twisted Sister.

Other miners, like Eddie Lynch, carried signs that praised Massey and the coal industry or ridiculed "out-of-state" protesters and "tree huggers."

"We wanted to be out here showing our support for what we believe in," said Lynch, who has worked at Massey's Progress Coal for about seven months. "They think what we're doing is wrong. I can see both sides. But I'm a coal miner. That's how I feed my family. That's what I'm going to support."

In a brief speech to the rally, Hannah addressed the miners in the crowd.

"I'd like to thank all of the miners for all of the work you've done powering America," she said. "But there is no need to destroy our planet to power our future."

After the rally, protesters walked quietly down W.Va. 3 to the entrance to the Massey operation, where they were greeted by several hundred workers and other supporters blocking the entrance to the site.

Throughout the day, some miners had warned that they would take matters into their own hands if protesters tried to get through the blockade and onto the Massey operation. "We're just as willing to go to jail for our jobs," said one miner, who wouldn't give his name.

But protesters simply sat down in the road and awaited arrest by troopers, who had come ready for potential trouble, with riot gear and police dogs.

After the protest, it became clear that a potential debate between Hansen and Massey Energy Don Blankenship probably was not going to occur.

Late last week, Blankenship had challenged Hansen to debate global warming, the coal industry and mountaintop removal, instead of risking arrest by trespassing on Massey property during his visit to West Virginia.

On Monday, Hansen agreed, and West Virginia Public Broadcasting stepped in to organize a location and time -- 1 p.m. today at Mountain State University in Beckley. Massey officials said Blankenship was not available at that time. And Blankenship accepted a rival offer from WOWK-TV to debate Hansen at 7 p.m. Thursday on live television.

There was no immediate word on whether Hansen would accept that, but the climate scientist had said earlier Tuesday that he was available to debate Blankenship today, but not later in the week.

Reach Ken Ward Jr. at kw...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1702.