Written by Willie Dodson
Willie Dodson
A Virginia native, Willie has organized with environmental and social justice campaigns in the region for more than a decade. He is Appalachian Voices' Coal Impacts Program Manager.
Community members resist proposed Eastern Kentucky Prison
A controversial prison project in Eastern Kentucky has resurfaced, despite community opposition that had kept the proposal at bay for several years.
Virginia Residents Score Big Win in Landfill Fight
Plans to turn a former coal prep plant site into a solid waste dump provoked an outcry from local residents, and sparked a movement that stopped the landfill.
Coal Miners’ Widows Tell their Stories to Kentucky Rep. Morgan McGarvey
Currently, some miners’ widows can lose their black lung benefits in certain situations. A bill Congress would help make the system more fair.
Residents Across Five States Benefit From Local Air Quality Monitoring
Through the Upper South and Appalachia Citizen Air Monitoring Project, community members and organizations are collecting data about local air quality.
Opposition to Proposed Prison on Mine
Environmental risks and negative social, economic and mental-health impacts to prisoners and communities are among the concerns voiced over a plan to build a prison on top of a former mine.
Regulators Poised to Update Miners’ Protections from Silica Dust
Expected new silica dust regulations in mines could combat the rise of black lung disease. However, the effects of an ongoing federal silica enforcement initiative remain unclear.
As EPA Prepares to Update Federal Air Quality Limits, Coal Dust Looms Large in Eunice
Frustrated with constant coal dust, residents of Eunice, West Virginia, asked the state to install an air quality monitoring device in their community. The request was denied.
A Cloud of Coal Mine Dust over a West Virginia Community Points to Regulatory Shortcomings
As residents of the Eunice community in West Virginia grapple with coal mine dust, regulations governing air pollution offer little help.
Black Lung Benefit Fund Would See Major Boost from Change to Coal Tax
Changing the structure of a tax that funds federal benefits for miners could bring tens of millions of dollars annually to the cash-strapped Black Lung Disability Trust Fund.
Despite Decline of Coal, Mining Remains Aggressive on Coal River Mountain
Despite a national coal downturn, mining has not slowed much in Raleigh County, West Virginia, where companies have proposed two new mountaintop removal coal mines.
