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Greene County’s Economy Must Work for Everyone

Posted May 17, 2019, by Veronica Coptis


Photo of people at Washington, PA Peoples Climate, Jobs, and Justice March.

Photo of people at Washington, PA Peoples Climate, Jobs, and Justice March.

It is clear that our economy and communities are changing in Greene County. At the Center for Coalfield Justice, we acknowledge that the only way these changes will include everyone is if we are all working together. As a result, CCJ has launched a canvass in Waynesburg and Carmichaels, where we are going door to door in these two towns to talk to as many residents as we can about what they need to thrive in Greene County in the next 5-10 years. Do people need access to better-paying jobs? Do we need more investment in our children’s education? Are there adequate protections for our air, water, and public health?

The past has shown that we cannot always count on elected officials to ensure that proposed solutions address people’s needs. Through our launching of this campaign, we plan to build an avenue for everyone to participate in visioning our economic future. We believe that this will help ensure that our County Commissioners, State, and Federal Legislators know what our needs are and will allow us to better hold them accountable.

In addition to the canvass, we are hosting community conversations about what we need to support our families in the coming years. Join us for one of three workshops across the county to provide input on what types of jobs we need and how we can all act together to improve our communities. Here is the workshop schedule:

  • June 11th 6:30-8:30 in Waynesburg at the Corner Cupboard Food Bank (881 Rolling Meadows Rd, Waynesburg, PA)

  • June 12th 6:30-8:30 in Wind Ridge at the Richhill Firehall (120 Ferrell Ave, Wind Ridge, PA)

  • June 13th 6:30-8:30 in Carmichaels at the American Legion (205 E George Street, Carmichaels, PA)

During these conversations, we hope people will share their experience of living in Greene County, how they view the current local economy and access to jobs, and discuss what people need to support their families and thrive in our area. If you have any questions please call our office at 724-229-3550 or email Heaven at heaven@centerforcoalfieldjustice.org

Dinner will be served at the meetings starting at 6:00 PM and the program will start at 6:30 PM. There is space for 25 people at each workshop but if there is more interest than we have space, we will host additional meetings. We can provide childcare, travel support, and meet other access needs by request. Please note any needs in the registration form:

In addition, CCJ has been working with the Massachusetts Institute for Technology to research the status of our economy in relation to fossil fuel extraction. We have also worked with FracTracker to map the energy company-owned land in Greene County and will be publishing these results soon.

Author

  • Veronica Coptis

    Veronica Coptis joined the CCJ staff in March 2013 as a Community Organizer and is now serving as the Executive Director. She grew up in western Greene County near the Bailey Mine Complex and currently lives in the eastern part of the county. Before joining the CCJ staff, Veronica served on the Board of Directors for CCJ and organized with Mountain Watershed Association. She received a bachelor’s degree in biology from West Virginia University. She enjoys hiking and geocaching at Ryerson State Park and other areas around Greene County with her husband and daughters. Read more about Veronica in a New Yorker Magazine profile at https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/07/03/the-future-of-coal-country. Contact Veronica at veronica@centerforcoalfieldjustice.org.

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