Read our monthly e-newsletter, which will update you on our work, current action items, and upcoming events.
Learn About Pore Space and Carbon Capture Before You Sell Your Rights!
Tenaska Energy, Inc. is reportedly attempting to purchase ‘pore space rights’ from landowners in Washington and Greene Counties for incoming carbon capture and storage projects in the region. The flyer below explains what that means and what you should do if you or someone you know is approached about selling. You can also check out some of Ohio River Valley Institute’s resources about carbon capture here. We'll be keeping a close eye on this and other projects related to the development of regional hydrogen and carbon capture hubs in our region and will be sure to keep you all in the loop in subsequent newsletters and social media updates!
In Case You Missed It
Biden Administration Announces Pause on New LNG Exports
On January 26th, the Biden administration announced a ‘temporary pause on pending approvals’ for 17 new liquid natural gas (LNG) export terminals – including the CP2 terminal in Louisiana which would become the largest in the U.S. if built. It is tasking the Department of Energy with updating its underlying analyses for these authorizations to account for factors like updated emissions calculations, cumulative impacts to climate, and potential energy cost increases for Americans. The decision has been largely applauded by climate advocates and frontline groups in the Gulf South whose communities have been hit hardest by the environmental, public health, and climate impacts of these massive export facilities. It will also have an impact in our region, where energy companies have been pushing to “unleash LNG” exports by increasing the already substantial fracking and infrastructure buildout across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.
Thank You for Your Toy Donations!
At the end of 2023, we helped Club Serenity collect donations for their Holiday Toy Drive. The goal of the event was to provide gifts and a cheerful holiday experience for children and families impacted by the opioid crisis. Our organizations received about 100 donations and around 50 kids attended the event, so there were more than enough toys for everyone! We're so thankful for all of our members and supporters who helped contribute to this event and look forward to continuing our work with Club Serenity in the future!
Take Action
UPMC's Acquisition of Washington Health System - How Are You Feeling About It?
Since news broke this summer about UPMC acquiring Washington Health System, we've heard from some people who are excited and we've heard from others who are concerned. We've heard from partners who have shared information describing UPMC as a bad actor, and we've heard from individuals who have received great care in their facilities. This is a complex issue, and we want to know more about how our members are thinking about it and what your concerns are, if any. We want to take our cues from you while making sure you have access to the information you need. Help us do so by filling out this brief survey and sharing your thoughts about the situation.
Public Notices
Read all of the latest relevant public notices from the past month for Washington and Greene Counties as of January 29th here.
Upcoming Events
Center for Coalfield Justice Events
Opioid Settlement Fund Story Sharing Session
A personal story can be a powerful tool to advocate for resources that will improve your community. In an effort to reduce stigma around Substance Use Disorder, we are holding a storytelling session to learn how you can use your personal story and life experiences to benefit your community. If you or someone you know has lost a loved one who may have benefitted from more access to harm reduction services, or if you are in recovery or know someone who is struggling to access services and resources, we want to hear from you and help you tell your story!
The event will take place on Thursday February 15th at Club Serenity in at 702 Fallowfield Ave, Charleroi, PA. If you're interested, please register or reach out to paul@centerforcoalfieldjustice.org with any questions.
Connecting with our Community: February Meeting
Enjoy an evening at CCJ and be in community with us on Tuesday February, 27th from 6:00 to 8:00PM. We look forward to connecting with community members and chatting about whatever topics interest you. We will be serving soup and focaccia to warm us up! Please register if you are interested in attending to ensure enough soup for everyone. This will be an open-house style event, so stay as long as you like. Hope to see you there!
4th Annual CCJ Seed Swap
The Seed Swap is one of CCJ’s most popular and fastest-growing events; it’s a wonderful way to connect with one another and to share our resources as a community while celebrating the arrival of spring! Bring seeds that you would like to donate to the swap, but don’t worry if you don’t have any to trade; we’ll be giving out lots of extras. Take what you need, leave what you can. Stay as long or as little as you’d like.
This year, the event will take place Saturday, March 23rd at the Washington Citizens Library (55 South College Street, Washington PA) from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. Light refreshments will be provided. Please register now so we have enough seeds, kids’ activities, and other resources available for everyone!
If you aren’t able to make it to our Seed Swap but would like to contribute, feel free to mail seeds to us at P.O. BOX 4023, Washington, PA 15301.
Ally and Community Events
2/5 & 2/7 — PUC - PA American Water Public Hearings
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1:00 & 6:00 PM via Telephone
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The Public Utility Commission has halted PA American Water's request to increase water and wastewater rates by over 20% in counties across the state. The Commission will be holding hearings the next 2 weeks to hear input from customers. There will be a pair of telephone hearings on February 5 and 7. To participate, you must pre-register by Thursday, February 1.
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To Register: Call 1-800-684-6560 or email consumer@paoca.org and provide your name, hearing date & time, phone number and email address.
2/7 — Pennsylvania’s Bad Bet: Why Shell Didn’t Save Appalachia With Plastics
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7:30 PM on Zoom
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Ohio River Valley Institute and Eyes on Shell will host this webinar detailing how a pair of faulty economic impact studies misled Pennsylvania policymakers and residents about the economic benefits offered by the Shell Polymers Monaca petrochemicals complex in Beaver County.
2/15 — Lunch and Learn Series: Health is a Human Right
- 12:00 PM on Zoom
- This is the first in a series of lunch and learns hosted by Black Appalachian Coalition and Ohio River Valley Institute to dive deeper into the connection between environmental pollution and our health, especially by petrochemical and extractive industries.
- Register Here
2/16-19 — Great Backyard Bird Count
- Each February, for four days, the world comes together for the love of birds. Over these four days, you are invited to spend time in your favorite places watching and counting as many birds as you can find and reporting them on the Merlin or e-Bird apps. Whether you’re an experienced birder or a newbie, you can learn more about participating in this global event at www.birdcount.org
2/17 — Microplastic Mania Art Workshop
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12 PM at Arts Excursions Unlimited (5125 2nd Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15207)
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Join Protect PT and Creative Reuse for this FREE event where you will have the opportunity to use your creativity to convert plastic waste into beautifully artful dioramas, portraits, or anything else your mind can think of! This workshop will change how you view your trash and allow you to think more creatively about diverting waste from the landfill.
Weekly Events
Tuesdays & Saturdays — Greene County Flea Market
- 7 AM - 2 PM, Greene County Fairgrounds — Waynesburg, PA
Second Saturday Monthly — Free Food Pantry
- 9 AM - 12 PM at Lemoyne Center — Washington, PA
You can find community events in Washington County here and Greene County here.
Support Our Work
We could not do this work without the continued support of our members and supporters. Please help us to continue our work to fight for environmental justice in Southwestern Pennsylvania by becoming a member of CCJ. Recurring monthly donations help to best support our work. Any gift made to the Center for Coalfield Justice is 100% tax-deductible.
Please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns by responding to this email or reaching me at the email below.
Sincerely,
Alex Downing
he/him
Digital Media Strategist
alex@centerforcoalfieldjustice.org
724-229-3550