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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 27, 2023 CONTACT: Trey Pollard, trey@pollardcommunications.com COAL COUNTRY – Last night, 28 groups formally submitted comments in support of a new proposal by the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation Enforcement (OSMRE) that ensures action is…
The Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition has put out a list of 10 recommendations to improve the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization Grant Program so this money is more equitably distributed and focused on transformative projects for coal-impacted communities.
Joe Pizarchik, former head of OSMRE and one of the nation’s foremost experts on complex and sprawling abandoned mine lands issues, provides an essential overview of how acid mine drainage fits into pending legislative proposals and where we should look next.
As coal collapses, the industry is leaving behind thousands of acres of mined lands in various states of environmental destruction. A new report seeks to understand the scope of the problem and outline potential solutions.
Contact: Erin Savage – Senior Program Manager at Appalachian Voices, erin@appvoices.org, 206-769-8286 A new report estimates that 633,000 acres on mines still held by coal companies in the East require some degree of reclamation, at an estimated total cost of…
During a recent House Natural Resources hearing on the issue of sluggish, inadequate, or totally non-existent reclamation on currently permitted coal mines, community advocates called for federal regulators to firmly enforce existing regulations and act in the public interest.
Coal mine regulations have not kept up with the industry’s collapse, leaving regulators without the money – or the legal tools – to address growing problems of scarred landscapes and polluted waters.
The Alliance for Appalachia is hosting a webinar on April 13 to bring solidarity and support to Hopi and Diné people who are facing similar mine reclamation issues in the West.
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.
