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Bills Aim to Help Miners with Black Lung and Surviving Family Access Benefits
Miners with black lung disease face a difficult process to obtain modest benefits, as do their widows. Two bills in Congress aim to help miners with the disease and their bereaved families, including by tying benefit levels to inflation.
Read MoreFighting for Black Lung Benefits for Miners and Families
Kathryn South’s husband, Mike South, was diagnosed with black lung disease at age 35. As they grappled with his disease, the couple also navigated the arduous legal process to obtain federal black lung benefits, a fight that Kathryn continued even after Mike’s passing.
Read MoreThe Root that Shaped a Region
Luke Manget, author of the book “Ginseng Diggers: A History of Root and Herb Gathering in Appalachia,” discusses the complex and impactful history of ginseng and root digging.
Read MoreWhy we will win
Mara Eve Robbins, a stalwart activist in the movement against the Mountain Valley Pipeline, reflects on community and hope in this special guest blog.
Read MoreConfronting Rising Black Lung
Amid an ongoing surge in severe black lung disease among coal miners, federal lawmakers have introduced a number of bills aimed at assisting affected miners and their families. The Inflation Reduction Act shored up funding for benefits, and advocates are pushing for additional measures.
Read MoreNo Easy Answers on Coal Ash Cleanup
To protect groundwater and community health, coal ash ponds must be cleaned up. But, as communities in Tennessee have learned, safely removing the toxic waste brings its own set of challenges.
Read MoreVirginia Agency Orders Bristol to Address Polluting Landfill
Residents are hopeful after the Bristol Virginia City Council responds to the state Department of Environmental Quality’s order to address landfill concerns.
Read MoreSolar Panels on Southwest Virginia Schools Signal a Diversifying Economy
School solar projects demonstrate how Virginia’s coalfield counties are diversifying their economies and energy options with solar power.
Read MoreCommunity organizations applaud action in Congress to advance bipartisan bill to address acid mine drainage crisis
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 13, 2022 Contact: Trey Pollard, trey@pollardcommunications.com, 202-904-9187 APPALACHIA — Today, the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources held a mark-up of the Safeguarding Treatment for the Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines (STREAM) Act — bipartisan legislation that would guarantee that major new investments in abandoned mine land clean up can…
Read MoreThe Supreme Court decision is bad, but there’s still a lot we can do to fight climate change
The U.S. Supreme Court decision about the Environmental Protection Agency was a setback for climate progress. It’s now up to states, towns and utilities to tackle the climate crisis.
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