Posts Tagged ‘Coal’
Audit Finds Mine Safety Penalties Ineffective
An August 2019 federal audit of the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration found that mine safety penalties did not contribute to the overall safety of mining operations.
Read MoreA decision point for abandoned coal mines
An accurate inventory of abandoned coal mine lands is imperative for understanding the scope of the problem, where funding needs to be directed, and how much funding is necessary.
Read MoreBond forfeitures begin on bankrupt Blackjewel and Revelation mine permits
An unreclaimed coal mine has sent mud and debris onto a neighboring property. The mine is one of five Virginia permits owned by bankrupt Revelation Energy and Blackjewel that are now facing bond forfeiture, which means the state or the mines’ insurance companies could take over the cleanup.
Read MoreEnvironmental Groups Sue Four Coal and Chemical Facilities
Environmental groups have sued three coal facilities and one chemical plant for the alleged illegal pollution of adjacent waterways.
Read MoreCalling on Legislators for Action in Washington, D.C.
In July, Appalachian Voices traveled to Capitol Hill alongside about 150 miners, widows and their loved ones to demand Congress to restore proper funding for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund. And in June, we joined other organizations in a visit to D.C. to ask legislators to co-sponsor the RECLAIM Act to fast-track abandoned mine reclamation.
Read MoreAdvocacy groups sue multiple coal facilities for water violations
CONTACTS: Erin Savage, Appalachian Voices Central Appalachian Program Manager, erin@appvoices.org, 206-769-8286 August 7, 2019 Charleston, W.Va. — A coalition of West Virginian advocacy groups including the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Appalachian Voices, and the Sierra Club sued four coal and chemical facilities alleging serious violations of the Clean Water Act…
Read MoreOver 100 Miners Heading to Washington to Advocate for Black Lung Benefits
Over 100 miners from across the Appalachian region are traveling to Washington D.C. this week to lobby lawmakers on a number of issues related to black lung disease, a fatal respiratory condition caused by continuous exposure to harmful dust and rock particles in and around coal mines.
Read MoreBlackjewel’s bankruptcy looks like bad news for workers and mine cleanup
Appalachia’s latest coal bankruptcy looks different than others — mines shut down immediately and paychecks were clawed back from employees’ bank accounts. We take a look at what the Blackjewel and Revelation Energy bankruptcy could mean for mine land reclamation.
Read MoreJustice Coal Companies and Federal Agencies Enter Legal Battles
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice’s family and their companies are involved in new lawsuits with federal mine safety and reclamation authorities.
Read MoreMiners Pressure Congress for Pension Fix
Dozens of retired coal miners came to the capitol and called on Washington lawmakers to pass legislation to preserve pensions for tens of thousands of retired and working miners.
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