March 2024 Newsletter

Read our monthly e-newsletter, which will update you on our work, current action items, and upcoming events.

Our Work in the Past Month

Our 4th Annual Seed Swap Was Bigger Than Ever!

We had nearly 200 visitors, volunteers, and staff on hand for our Seed Swap on March 23rd at the Citizen’s Library in Washington. Attendees enjoyed a wide selection of donated seeds, potato starter kits, paintable terracotta pottery, and more. We also were thrilled to share the space with a number of local gardening and outdoor organizations who distributed resources and discussed their programs. We hope everyone who attended had a great time and will come again next year! You can read more about the event here and check out some photos below.

Three PA Senators To Co-Sponsor Legislation Encouraging Solar For PA Schools

PA Senators Bartolotta, Comitta, and Hughes announced their co-sponsorship of a Senate bill that would establish Pennsylvania Solar for Schools Grants funding on-site solar installations at public schools across the state. We applaud their efforts to come together in bipartisan support of common sense programs that will benefit our health and environment, create good jobs, and reduce costs for schools and taxpayers.

Public Notices

Read all of the latest relevant public notices from the past month for Washington and Greene Counties as of March 26 here.

Take Action

Tell your State Legislators to Support Guaranteed Funding for Whole Home Repairs

Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed $50 million in state funding for the “Whole-Home Repairs” program in his 2024 budget proposal. Last year he did the same, only for funding to be blocked because of partisan politics. The Whole Home Repairs program allows homeowners and small landlords to make necessary home repairs, including weatherization, water or energy efficiency updates, and accommodations for individuals with disabilities.Now, it’s on the legislature to negotiate Governor Shapiro’s proposal and pass an appropriations bill through the General Assembly that includes at least $50 million in Whole Home Repairs Funding.

Tell your State Senators to Vote NO on SB 831, Senator Yaw’s CO2 Injection and Storage Bill

The proposed hydrogen hubs and other carbon capture projects in Pennsylvania will require thousands of miles of new CO2 pipelines, injection wells, underground storage fields and more. It’s absolutely vital that gaps in the state’s regulations around these and other issues are addressed BEFORE yet another industrial ‘boom’ cycle begins without proper oversight or protections.⁠⁠

Senator Gene Yaw’s bill would not only make it more difficult for landowners impacted by carbon capture activities to receive compensation, it also allows those that don’t want activity on or under their land to be overruled by their neighbors.⁠ It is obvious that SB 831 is only intended to benefit industry and does little to protect landowners from overreach by industry. Write your state lawmakers and ask them to vote no on this bill now!

Pennsylvania’s Primary Election is Coming Up!

It’s almost time for the 2024 Pennsylvania Primary Election! It’s a big year with both Presidential and U.S. Senate candidates being selected by the major parties, but like every year there are a number of state and local offices with nominations to be decided that need your input. Make sure you’re registered to vote, apply for a mail-in ballot, and get all your election questions answered at vote.pa.gov. Make your voice heard and get your vote in by April 23rd!

Important Deadlines:

April 8th – Last Day to Register to Vote

April 16th – Apply for Mail-In or Absentee Ballot

April 23rd – Election Day: Vote in-person by 8:00 PM (mail-in ballots must be received by then as well!)

Upcoming Events

Center for Coalfield Justice Events

April Community Meeting: Fracking in the Coalfields Tour

Join us for a tour of fossil fuel infrastructure in Washington and Greene Counties, from the largest coal mining complex in North America and a former lake destroyed by mining to the well pads and compressor stations that make up the most heavily-fracked counties in Pennsylvania. This tour usually lasts about 4-5 hours and will include lunch and transportation provided by CCJ. Space is limited in the vans and we expect spots to fill up quickly, so be sure to register ASAP if you’re interested in attending! Once all spots are taken, you can still register to be added to a waitlist in case one opens up.

Book Signing with Rolling Stone Author Justin Nobel

May the Fourth is Star Wars Day, and we’ll be getting into the spirit by celebrating a master of investigative journalism: Rolling Stone‘s Justin Nobel. He’ll be leading a discussion about his new book Petroleum-238: Big Oil’s Dangerous Secret and the Grassroots Fight to Stop It before signing copies at the Frank Sarris Library in Canonsburg from 1-4:00 PM.

In a recent Rolling Stone article about Justin’s investigation, Melissa Troutman of Earthworks described radioactive oil and gas waste as “the way into the Death Star,” meaning it could upend the industry if the truth is uncovered. So by joining us to learn about it and support his work, you can do your part to support the journalists and community organizations resisting Big Oil’s lies and cover-ups.

Petroleum-238: Big Oil’s Dangerous Secret and the Grassroots Fight to Stop It is due out April 24, and can be pre-ordered now, here on Amazon. Copies will be available for purchase at the signing or you can pre-order a copy through your local bookstore. This event is FREE. Childcare will be provided during the event for those who need it – be sure to indicate this when you register!

SAVE THE DATE: Kids Fishing Day at Dutch Fork Lake – May 26th 🎣☀️🏞️

Mark your calendars and get your fishing gear ready: May 26th is a free fishing day across Pennsylvania and we’re celebrating with our annual Kids Fishing Day at Dutch Fork Lake! Keep an eye on our website, social media, and email notifications for more info about this event as it approaches and be sure to RSVP once registration is available so we have enough poles, lures, and bait for all.

Ally and Community Events

4/9 – Citizens Advisory Council Meeting: Opportunity for Public Comment on ARCH2

• 12:30 – 4 PM at 400 Market St. (Harrisburg) or via Microsoft Teams
• There’s another chance to comment on the Appalachian Regional ‘Clean’ Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) at the PA Citizens Advisory Council’s next meeting. To submit a comment, you must email Ian Irvin at iirvin@pa.gov prior to the meeting and attend either in-person at 400 Market St, Harrisburg, PA or via Microsoft Teams. For more resources about hydrogen and carbon capture to review before your comment, visit www.centerforcoalfieldjustice.org/hydrogen.
• Learn More

4/10 – Shell’s Economic Impact: A Community Discussion

• 5:30 – 6:30 PM at First Presbyterian Church Beaver or via Zoom
• Join Food & Water Watch, Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community, Clean Air Council, Moms Clean Air Force, and Three Rivers Waterkeeper for a discussion about the economic impacts of the Shell plastics plant in Beaver County. We will be joined by Ben Hunkler from the Ohio River Valley Institute and will discuss the impacts of the plant on the community and small table discussions where neighbors can meet each other and talk about the issues that matter to them. Food and beverages will be provided and masks will be available. There will also be a virtual option available for folks who aren’t able to attend in person.
• Register Here

4/11 – Cutting Through the Haze: Part Two – Tools for Measuring Air Quality and Protecting Public Health

• 1 – 3 PM on Zoom
• Join Grassroots Environmental Education and the Environmental Health Project for an informative and interactive event to discuss the health impacts from local pollution from fossil fuel infrastructure and other facilities and how you can leverage critical tools to protect public health. This two-hour program will include information on health effects from air pollutants and the limitations of the standard approach in understanding regional air quality. The experts’ presentations will be followed by interactive discussions focused on policy, public education and outreach, and successful community air quality initiatives.
• Register Here

4/12 – 14 – Climate Reality Leadership Training

• New York, NY
• We’ve just lived through the hottest year on record. We’ve seen climate change touch our lives and transform our future, from the work we do to the air we breathe. But there’s hope. This spring, learn what climate change means for you, and how you can help build a better future, powered by clean energy. Join the Climate Reality Project, led by Al Gore and a number of speakers and leaders, for two days of incredible conversations, dynamic skill-building sessions, and networking with other change-makers.
• Apply Here

4/13 & 14 – Eldora Park Walking Tour

• 12 – 3 PM at Donora Historical Society & Smog Museum (595 McKean Ave.)
• Join the Donora Historical Society for a walking tour of historic Eldora in Carroll Township. The tour will start at the Smog Museum with a photo and newspaper article presentation on Eldora Park. Attendees will then drive 3 miles to conduct the walking tour portion in the Eldora section of Carroll Township on what was the Wickerham farm. Tickets are $12 per person.
• More Info and Registration

5/2 – Webinar: Plastics and Your Health

• 7 – 8 PM on Zoom
• The negative impacts of plastic on human health are increasingly visible and increasingly costly. This March, the New England Journal of Medicine released the results of a study detecting micro- and nanoplastics in the carotid artery plaque of 58% of patients, and found that it measurably increased the risk of heart attack, stroke, and all-cause mortality in those patients. What does this mean for us? Join Beyond Plastics for a conversation with Philip J. Landrigan, M.D. on Plastics and Your Health to find out.
• Register Here

Weekly Events

Event Title

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