Congress has allowed the Abandoned Mine Lands program to expire, and advocates said nationwide on both state and tribal lands, residents face uncertainty over the future of environmental cleanup and economic recovery on lands once used to mine coal.
Blog Archives
Congress fails to reauthorize abandoned coal mine lands program before deadline, creating new uncertainty & threatening job creation
CONTACT: Trey Pollard, 202-904-9187, trey@pollardcommunications.com Molly Moore, 847-401-3633, molly@appvoices.org APPALACHIA — The authorization of funding for the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) fund officially expired at midnight Thursday. This lapse in funding brings a new level of uncertainty to the AML…
TAGS: 117th Congress abandoned coal mines abandoned mine lands aml AML reauthorization mine reclamation
Tell White House officials that coal mine cleanup must be a priority
Insufficient bonding systems and decades of poor enforcement of mine reclamation law have led to a severe backlog in abandoned mines — and a new wave of coal bankruptcies is exacerbating the problem.
TAGS: abandoned mine lands aml Coal Coal Communities Working Group mine reclamation White House Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization
Community advocates celebrate Senate passage of historic bill on reclaiming coal lands
CONTACT: Chelsea Barnes, Legislative Director, chelsea@appvoices.org, 276-207-9636 Trey Pollard, trey@pollardcommunications.com, 202-904-9187 Largest-ever investment in clean-up means billions in economic activity and thousands of jobs in Appalachia and other coal communities Following the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Infrastructure Investment and…
National coalition urges Congress to boost support for communities transitioning from fossil fuels
CONTACT: Jeremy Richardson, Union of Concerned Scientists, jrichardson@ucsusa.org, 301-442-1326 Cat McCue, Appalachian Voices, cat@appvoices.org, 434-293-6373 Washington, DC – As America continues to transition toward clean energy, Congress must take swift and comprehensive action to support the workers and communities —…
TAGS: abandoned mine lands aml biden Coal Congress economic development just transition reclaim Solar transition
Community advocates herald Sen. Manchin’s coal-site reclamation bills
CONTACT: Cat McCue, Sr. Communications Strategist, 434-293-6373, cat@appvoices.org With coal communities more in need of support and investment than ever before, today Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) unveiled two bills along with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), Tim Kaine…
TAGS: abandoned mine lands aml Coal just transition kaine manchin new economy reclaim reclamation warner
Coalition launches second round of funding for reclaiming coal sites
CONTACT: Joey James, Principal, Downstream Strategies, jjames@downstreamstrategies.com, 304-292-2450 Following the success of its inaugural mini-grant program in 2020, the Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition is preparing to fund a new set of partners and their innovative mine land reclamation and economic development…
TAGS: abandoned mine lands aml Coal Downstream Strategies economic development jobs reclaim Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition reclamation
It’s a wrap! A rundown of the 2021 Virginia General Assembly
We and our allies fought hard for the health and well-being of communities and the environment, and we’re grateful for the emails and calls you delivered to the legislature to support these efforts.
TAGS: abandoned coal mines aml clean energy economic development electric bill energy democracy Environmental Justice frack gold mining Natural Gas pipelines Solar Energy southwest virginia utility reform Virginia Water Pollution
Bills to ensure coal communities are part of America’s economic recovery introduced in Congress
CONTACT: Thom Kay, Legislative Director, thom.kay@appvoices.org, 864-580-1843 Cat McCue, Communications Strategist, cat@appvoices.org, 434-293-6373 Read our March 5 blog for more background. Washington, DC — As coal-impacted communities grapple with economic decline and public health risks made significantly worse by the…
TAGS: abandoned mine lands aml biden Coal Congress economic development just transition new economy reclaim southwest virginia
A way forward for Appalachia
Our legislative director outlines a list of action items for the Biden administration — suspending utility shutoffs during the pandemic, strengthening oversight of the fossil fuel industry, and moving swiftly to support just economic transition in coal-impacted communities.
TAGS: aml biden Black Lung Coal mining FERC grijalva haaland just transition OSMRE pipelines RECLAIM Act shutoffs white house
