This morning, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement released its final “Ten Day Notice” rule to address how the agency responds to community member complaints about safety, pollution, and other violations at coal mines across the country.
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.
Good news for clean water! Despite a setback in appeals court, overall the Red River Coal Company court ruling will help communities fight back against pollution from mountaintop removal coal mines.
CONTACT: Thom Kay, Senior Legislative Representative, thom.kay@appvoices.org, 864-580-1843 Cat McCue, Senior Communications Strategist, cat@appvoices.org, 434-293-6373 Norton, Va. — Seven local governments in Southwest Virginia have passed resolutions calling on the state’s congressional delegation to support federal legislation that would reauthorize…
Congress included funding for several programs important for Appalachian communities, but failed to include the critical RECLAIM Act.
A key federal mine reclamation program is up for reauthorization in 2021 — and the work is far from finished.
A federal district court in Virginia confirmed that citizens have the right to accompany mine inspections under federal and state law.
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…
