Coalition makes catalytic investment in Appalachian coal mine reuse projects

CONTACT: Chelsea Barnes, New Economy Program Manager chelsea@appvoices.org 276-679-1691 Norton, Va. – Furthering its commitment to innovative mine reclamation projects throughout the Appalachian region, the Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition (RAC) announced its investment in five projects in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Alabama as part of its inaugural mini-grant program. The coalition solicited mine reclamation and redevelopment project…

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Alabama Coal: Strip Mine Proposal Halted on Mulberry Fork

By Kimber Ray Even to those familiar with Appalachia’s historically destructive relationship with coal, the proposal for the 1,773-acre Shepherd Bend strip mine in northern Alabama seemed unprecedented. Flowing through the mountains of Alabama’s largest coal-producing region, the Mulberry Fork tributary of the Black Warrior River houses the drinking water intake for more than 200,000…

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Investigation Finds Fraud in Black Lung Cases

By Kimber Ray A year-long investigation revealed evidence this fall that the coal industry has supported fraudulent practices in order to block workers’ compensation claims for black lung disease. According to the investigation conducted by The Center for Public Integrity and ABC News, it appears that officials at prestigious medical institutions including Johns Hopkins Hospital…

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SELC’s Top 10 Endangered Places List Shows Threats in the Southeast

By Madison Hinshaw, Communications Editorial Intern in Spring 2012. The Southern Environmental Law Center recently released its fourth-annual Top 10 Endangered Places list of 2012, highlighting the scenic, ecologically and culturally rich areas throughout the Southeast that are being threatened by development, water issues and the environmental impacts of mountaintop removal and hydraulic fracturing. The…

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