Written by Erin Savage
Erin Savage
While Erin prefers to be on rivers rather than at a desk, as our Central Appalachian Program Manager she devotes a lot of time delving through data to make it meaningful to others who care about the health of our waterways.
No time to waste averting another coal mine cleanup crisis
Regulators are ignoring a growing crisis unfolding in modern mine reclamation. Coal companies are often failing to complete timely reclamation, and safeguards to ensure mine cleanup are failing. Communities are already seeing a new, more devastating wave of abandoned mines — a problem that will get worse without action.
How a proposed rule can help communities hold coal companies accountable
The federal surface mining agency has proposed a new rule that, if finalized, will restore community members’ ability to ensure coal companies follow the law.
Congress considers bills to address coal mining impacts at June hearing
During a recent U.S. House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing, Erin Savage of Appalachian Voices and two other Appalachian residents testified about acid mine drainage, abandoned mine sites and the impacts of ongoing mountaintop removal coal mining.
Tell White House officials that coal mine cleanup must be a priority
Insufficient bonding systems and decades of poor enforcement of mine reclamation law have led to a severe backlog in abandoned mines — and a new wave of coal bankruptcies is exacerbating the problem.
Collapse of the coal industry: Problems and recommendations
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.
Google Earth teams up with Appalachian Voices
Appalachian Voices teamed up with Google Earth on a video to show how the search engine’s satellite imagery helps us protect the environment.
“Environmentalist” Tom Clarke abandons mines in West Virginia
With the failure of coal operator ERP’s unconventional scheme, West Virginia must contend with the company’s environmental violations and mines in need of cleanup.
Progress on healthcare for miners with black lung disease
Congress reinstated a tax to fund healthcare and benefits for miners with black lung and their families for 2020 — but further action is needed to extend the tax and support the fund for 10 years.
The Unresolved Problem of Abandoned Mine Lands
The cost of reclaiming abandoned mine lands is massive, but the fee that funds cleanup is set to expire in 2021 unless Congress extends it.
A decision point for abandoned coal mines
An accurate inventory of abandoned coal mine lands is imperative for understanding the scope of the problem, where funding needs to be directed, and how much funding is necessary.
