This week, Appalachian Voices and 12 partner organizations are on Capitol Hill to tell Congress to protect our communities by making coal companies clean up their functionally abandoned coal mines, known as zombie mines.
Blog Archives
A week of action to stop zombie coal mines
TAGS: Allegheny Blue Ridge Alliance Alliance for Appalachia Black Warrior Riverkeeper Bond Improvement and Reclamation Assurance Act Center for Coalfield Justice Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act Coal River Mountain Watch Congress Kentuckians for the Commonwealth Kentucky Resource Council Rep. Matt Cartwright Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards Southern Connected Communities Project Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment The Clinch Coalition U.S. Rep. Don Beyer. zombie mines West Virginia Highlands Conservancy zombie mines
Four ways you can support Appalachian communities in the new year!
In 2023, Appalachian advocates made several advancements in the fight for greater protections for rural communities and families affected by black lung but as we enter 2024, an ongoing battle in Congress over spending is threatening to undo much of this progress while also cutting programs that benefit these communities.
TAGS: appropriations Black Lung Black Lung Benefits Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act coal impacts Congress funding OSMRE Relief for Survivors of Miners Act U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
Advocates support calls for full investigation of modern mine reclamation crisis
Leaders from coal-impacted communities are strongly backing the call from members of Congress for a federal investigation into the full extent of the damage caused by the coal industry’s failure to adequately clean up its mines.
TAGS: Appalachian Citizens Law Center Congress Government Accountability Office mine reclamation modern mines Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition
What the government spending fight means for Appalachia
Leaders in the Senate and the House need to come together to negotiate a final deal in order to keep the government funded. Appalachian Voices will keep fighting to fund these crucial programs and agencies to help protect coal mining communities and transition to clean energy.
TAGS: Americorps appropriations Black Lung Congress Distressed Area Recompete Program Economic Development Administration Fiscal Responsibility Act government shutdown Letcher County Prison Low Income Household Water Assistance Program Mine Safety and Health Administration mountain valley pipeline rural energy for america program U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement USDA Rural Partners Network White House Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization
Advocates in coal communities urge Congress to prevent “enormous step backwards” by rejecting harmful appropriations bills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 24, 2023 Contact: Trey Pollard – trey@pollardcommunications.com – 202-904-9187 VIEW THE LETTERS: House & Senate COAL COUNTRY — Leaders and advocates from across coal country sounded the alarm today, warning Congress that harsh cuts in proposed…
TAGS: Americorps Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative appropriations Congress Distressed Area Recompete Program economic development Economic Development Administration Empowering Rural America Program Low Income Water Assistance Program Mine Safety and Health Administration rural energy for america program U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement USDA Rural Partners Network White House Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization
Advocates to Biden admin. on silica dust rule delays: “The longer the administration waits, the more miners will suffer and die”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 29, 2023 CONTACT: Trey Pollard, trey@pollardcommunications.com, 202-904-9187 COAL COUNTRY – Today, 28 groups sent a letter to the Biden Administration urging the release of a long-delayed rule to protect coal miners from exposure to respirable silica…
35 Organizations endorse congressional appropriations roadmap to spur coal community economic development
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 1, 2023 Contact: Trey Pollard – trey@pollardcommunications.com – 202-904-9187 READ THE LETTERS HERE: Senate Letter and House Letter COAL COUNTRY – Local, regional and national leaders representing 35 organizations sent a letter to congressional leaders today…
TAGS: abandoned mine lands economic revitalization program Alliance for Appalachia Americorps appropriations bipartisan infrastructure law Chips and Science Act community and economic development Congress Friends For Environmental Justice Inflation Reduction Act Mine Safety and Health Administration Office of Suface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement USDA Rural Partners Network White House Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization
Community advocates urge Congress to include key coal community investments in forthcoming budget legislation
Congressional appropriations leaders are preparing to release omnibus spending legislation for FY2023 today, and community advocates from across coal country are urging them to ensure several long-standing priority investments are included. Advocates argue that the omnibus legislation is an important opportunity to get three key provisions over the finish line.
TAGS: abandoned mine lands Acid Mine Drainage AMLER Appalachian Citizens Law Center Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act Congress Inflation Reduction Act ReImagine Appalachia STREAM Act
Statement on Manchin agreeing to pull permitting language from continuing resolution
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 27, 2022 CONTACT Dan Radmacher, (540) 798-6683, dan@appvoices.org Late this afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that Sen. Joe Manchin’s Energy Independence and Security Act of 2022 would be removed from a continuing resolution to…
TAGS: Congress Energy Independence and Security Act of 2022 Act of Inflation Reduction Act mountain valley pipeline Sen. Joe Manchin
After near unanimous House vote, more than 80 organizations urge Manchin & Barrasso to advance STREAM Act in Senate
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 7, 2022 Contact: Trey Pollard, trey@pollardcommunications.com, 202-904-9187 APPALACHIA — More than 80 organizations from 15 states from called on Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair Joe Manchin (D-WV), Ranking Member John Barrasso (R-WY), subcommittee Chair…
