Posts Tagged ‘mine reclamation’
VA Initiates Bond Forfeiture on Justice-Owned Mines
Virginia regulators initiated bond forfeiture at two coal mines owned by the family of West Virginia Governor Jim Justice. The regulators cited failure to pay penalties and chronic environmental and public safety violations.
Read MoreAdvocating for Abandoned Mine Cleanup Bills
Appalachian Voices and our partners are working to make sure that legislation is passed this year to address the urgent problem of reclaiming abandoned mine lands.
Read MoreSupport Grows for Mine Reclamation Bill
Numerous Appalachian coal-bearing communities have passed resolutions calling on federal legislators to pass a bill that would reauthorize a program that funds cleanup of abandoned mine lands.
Read MoreThe Impacts of Coal Bankruptcies
With industry projections trending downwards, questions continue about whether the mine reclamation system can handle ongoing bankruptcies.
Read MoreIntro: The Legacies of Coal
As Appalachia’s coal industry continues to decline, the scale of the damage it has cas becomes even more apparent.
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 MoreBlackjewel and Revelation Energy Coal Bankruptcy Raises Concerns for Workers and Mine Cleanup
Two coal company bankruptcies in July resulted in retroactively withdrawn paychecks from coal miners and an unclear future for roughly 13,000 acres of unreclaimed mine land.
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 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.
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