Appalachia’s Political Landscape
Calls for Action on RECLAIM Act
Supporters of the RECLAIM Act traveled to Washington, D.C., in October to urge legislators to cosponsor the bill and hold a vote before the end of 2017.
Read MoreEnvironmental Votetracker — Dec. 2017 / Jan. 2018 issue
How Appalachian House and Senate members voted regarding several environmental issues in October and November.
Read MoreWest Virginia Governor Shows Allegiance to Coal
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice is pushing for federal coal subsidies, but his companies have also amassed millions in fines due to worker safety and environmental violations.
Read MoreEnvironmental Votetracker — Oct/Nov 2017 issue
How Appalachian House and Senate members voted regarding several environmental issues in August and September.
Read MoreRECLAIM Act Passes House Committee
A bill to accelerate the reclamation of abandoned coal mines and revitalize local economies moved forward and could be voted on this fall.
Read MoreEnvironmental Votetracker — Aug/Sept 2017 issue
How Appalachian House and Senate members voted regarding several environmental issues in June and July
Read MoreBill Could Boost Funding to Reclaim Abandoned Mines
If passed, the RECLAIM Act could provide much needed funding to clean up abandoned mine lands and prepare these sites for economically beneficial uses.
Read MoreCongress Passes Budget Deal
In a last minute deal, Congress passed a compromise budget in late April that will fund federal obligations through September 2017. The budget includes funding for miner’s health care benefits that were lost during bankruptcy hearings for the parent companies.
Read MoreEnvironmental Votetracker — June/July 2017 issue
How Appalachian House and Senate members voted regarding several environmental issues in April and May.
Read MoreBudget Blowback
The “America First” budget proposed by President Donald Trump in March 2017 would slash funding to many programs that Appalachian residents depend on.
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