FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2025
CONTACT
Dan Radmacher, Media Specialist, (276) 289-1018, dan@appvoices.org
Appalachian Voices staff is deeply saddened by the passing of U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva. Throughout his more than 20 years of congressional service, the Arizona representative was committed to not only the communities in his district, but disadvantaged communities across the country, including Appalachians and coal mining communities.
“Congressman Grijalva has always stood with the people of coal mining communities in Appalachia,” said Chelsea Barnes, Director of Government Affairs and Strategy at Appalachian Voices. “He was deeply committed to making the world a better place by listening to the people most in need of help. He will be remembered by the people in Central Appalachia for his warmth and kindness, his dedication to empowering people to advocate for themselves, and his commitment to righting historical wrongs. Though he is not from Appalachia, he will always be an Appalachian hero in our hearts.”
In his early years in Congress, Grijalva supported legislation to protect water for the people in the hollers from toxic mountaintop removal coal mining waste. In his role as ranking member on the House Natural Resources Committee, he visited Wise County, Virginia, to listen to the people in the coal mining communities to hear about the devastation the industry was causing to people’s health and livelihoods. He led numerous pieces of legislation to help polluted communities seek justice and clean up industrial damage, and he spoke up for coal mining communities when past administrations halted research into the health impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining.
Grijalva was a leader in fighting against the free pass for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, and led efforts to force coal mining companies to clean up their mines. Quite simply, he never stopped fighting for us. Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family, loved ones and legislative staff at this sad time.
