Supporters of the RECLAIM Act traveled to Washington, D.C., in October to urge legislators to cosponsor the bill and hold a vote before the end of 2017.
Blog Archives
RECLAIM Act Passes House Natural Resources Committee
The RECLAIM Act would accelerate the cleanup of abandoned mines while spurring economic opportunities in coal communities.
D.C. sends a ray of hope to Southwest Virginia
Through the dark clouds of the Trump administration’s agenda for rolling back or killing off programs critical to the health of Appalachian communities and the environment, a bright spot has emerged — $10 million for repurposing old coal mines in Southwest Virginia for new economic opportunities.
Congress includes $10 million for Southwest Virginia coal communities in spending plan
Contact: Adam Wells, New Economy Program Manager, 276-679-1691, adam@appvoices.org Thom Kay, Senior Legislative Representative, 864-580-1843, thom.kay@appvoices.org Gerald Collins Coal Mining Engineering Services LLC, 276-220-0150, gerald1951@comcast.net Norton, Va. — A proposed federal spending bill that took shape in Congress over the…
TAGS: abandoned mine lands aml Congress economic development Morgan Griffith Power-Plus reclaim southwest virginia
Senate bill signals hope for economy in Appalachian coal communities
Contact: Adam Wells, Economic Diversification Program Manager, 804-240-4372, adam@appvoices.org Cat McCue, Communications Director, 434-293-6373, cat@appvoices.org NORTON, VA – A bill announced today by senators from four Appalachian states for $1 billion to repurpose abandoned coal strip mines for economic development…
TAGS: abandoned mine lands economic development Economic diversification RECLAIM Act SMCRA southwest virginia surface coal mines transition
Mine Reclamation Pilot Program Breaks Ground
A new Abandoned Mine Lands Economic Revitalization program has broken ground in Pennsylvania, with additional projects identified in West Virginia and Kentucky.
Revitalizing Appalachia from the ground up
In February, a bill was introduced in Congress that would expedite funding to clean up old coal mining sites and redevelop them specifically to foster economic growth. The RECLAIM Act is now in committee and the language is expected to change a bit in the coming weeks. As Congress considers those changes, lawmakers should look to communities impacted by the coal industry, in Appalachia and across the country, whose perspective is vital to the bill’s success.
Federal Support for Clean Energy Financing and other shorts
Federal support for clean energy financing, carbon emissions from coal mine drainage, new pollution controls for a proposed natural gas plant and more short stories.
TAGS: abandoned mine lands carbon dioxide Coal mining Economic diversification Energy Efficiency natural gas pipelines Renewable Energy rural electric cooperatives Virginia
New SWVa project shows top spots for turning old coal mines into economic drivers
Contact: Adam Wells, Economic Diversification Program Coordinator (o) 276-679 1691, (m) 804-240-4372, adam@appvoices.org Norton, VA — Appalachian Voices today released preliminary findings in an ongoing review of abandoned coal mine lands in Southwest Virginia to identify the best potential sites…
TAGS: abandoned mine lands aml economic development Economic diversification Power Power-Plus RECLAIM Act southwest virginia Virginia
RECLAIMing Central Appalachia
From The Appalachian Voice: A rare bipartisan proposal aims to tackle two pressing issues related to the flailing coal industry — the need for new economic opportunities in central Appalachia and repairing environmental damage from decades of mining.
