Congress fails to reauthorize abandoned coal mine lands program before deadline, creating new uncertainty & threatening job creation

CONTACT: Trey Pollard, 202-904-9187, trey@pollardcommunications.com Molly Moore, 847-401-3633, molly@appvoices.org APPALACHIA — The authorization of funding for the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) fund officially expired at midnight Thursday. This lapse in funding brings a new level of uncertainty to the AML program, which is responsible for cleaning up dangerous highwalls, open mine portals, and polluted streams…

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Community advocates celebrate Senate passage of historic bill on reclaiming coal lands

workers cleaning up mine site

CONTACT: Chelsea Barnes, Legislative Director, chelsea@appvoices.org, 276-207-9636 Trey Pollard, trey@pollardcommunications.com, 202-904-9187 Largest-ever investment in clean-up means billions in economic activity and thousands of jobs in Appalachia and other coal communities Following the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, advocates from coal communities across the country celebrated the legislation’s historic investments in…

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National coalition urges Congress to boost support for communities transitioning from fossil fuels

CONTACT: Jeremy Richardson, Union of Concerned Scientists, jrichardson@ucsusa.org, 301-442-1326 Cat McCue, Appalachian Voices, cat@appvoices.org, 434-293-6373 Washington, DC – As America continues to transition toward clean energy, Congress must take swift and comprehensive action to support the workers and communities — from Appalachia to the West — who have historically depended on the coal, oil and…

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Community advocates herald Sen. Manchin’s coal-site reclamation bills

CONTACT: Cat McCue, Sr. Communications Strategist, 434-293-6373, cat@appvoices.org With coal communities more in need of support and investment than ever before, today Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) unveiled two bills along with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Mark Warner (D-VA) that would spur immediate job creation and help ensure coal…

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Coalition launches second round of funding for reclaiming coal sites

CONTACT: Joey James, Principal, Downstream Strategies, jjames@downstreamstrategies.com, 304-292-2450 Following the success of its inaugural mini-grant program in 2020, the Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition is preparing to fund a new set of partners and their innovative mine land reclamation and economic development projects. The coalition is seeking applications from all interested public and private entities or individuals…

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Bills to ensure coal communities are part of America’s economic recovery introduced in Congress

CONTACT: Thom Kay, Legislative Director, thom.kay@appvoices.org, 864-580-1843 Cat McCue, Communications Strategist, cat@appvoices.org, 434-293-6373 Read our March 5 blog for more background. Washington, DC — As coal-impacted communities grapple with economic decline and public health risks made significantly worse by the Covid-19 crisis, Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) and Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) introduced two bills in…

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A way forward for Appalachia

Our legislative director outlines a list of action items for the Biden administration — suspending utility shutoffs during the pandemic, strengthening oversight of the fossil fuel industry, and moving swiftly to support just economic transition in coal-impacted communities.

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