Southwest Virginia awarded grants for innovative coal mine reclamation projects

CONTACT Chelsea Barnes New Economy Program Manager chelsea@appvoices.org, (276) 207-9636 Norton, Va. — Ten community revitalization projects that will reclaim old coal mining sites in Southwest Virginia will receive $10 million in grant money administered by the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. The grants come through congressional funding for the Abandoned Mine Lands…

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20 former coal sites in Appalachia identified for innovative economic development

Norton, VA — A coalition of groups in Central Appalachia today issued a report highlighting 20 innovate projects that would clean up abandoned coal mine lands and give them new life as sustainable agriculture businesses, solar farms or other economic ventures. The report, Many Voices, Many Solutions: Innovative Mine Reclamation in Central Appalachia, provides economic…

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House renews funding to clean up old coal mines

The House of Representatives yesterday evening passed two measures that would continue the critical work of communities in Central Appalachia to cleanup and repurpose old coal mines for new economic development initiatives. The two amendments to the Interior appropriations bill were joined and passed by a single voice vote. One identifies six states to receive…

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