It’s important to protect our land, water and communities from the environmental impacts of coal mining, and this especially includes our treasured national forests.  

But the Trump administration is taking steps to open up Appalachian national forests to coal mining, which has been legally prohibited since the 1970s. Come learn about this threat and what you can do to defend our public lands in Lexington, Virginia, on March 24.

Protecting Our Public Lands from Coal Mining
Tuesday, March 24, at 7 p.m.
Grace Episcopal Church
123 W. Washington Street
Lexington, VA 24450

In 2022, South Fork Coal Company began illegally hauling coal through the Monongahela National Forest from the 1,100-acre Rocky Run Surface Mine near Lewisburg, West Virginia. In 2025, a grassroots campaign succeeded in kicking the coal trucks off our public land and shutting down the Rocky Run Surface Mine —  for now. But if the current administration is successful, the threat of coal industry encroachment into Appalachia’s nation forests remains.

We hope to see you later this month in Lexington, Virginia, to learn more about ways you can help protect our public lands!