NEWS AND UPDATES
November 5th is Election Day: Make Sure You’re Ready to Vote!
It’s finally time: next Tuesday, November 5th is Election Day. Your vote is your power — use it. We’ll come together to vote for the next President of the United States, along with the U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, U.S. Representative from your district, PA State House members, and the PA Attorney General, Auditor General, and Treasurer. Check out our CCJ Ballot Guide for Washington and Greene Counties for more details about some of those races. Find more resources and information about voting at our Voter Resources page.
When we come together as voters and make our demands loud and clear, we can make the future a brighter place. You can take the following steps to make your voice heard in this important election:
- Find your polling place (or ballot drop off location)
- It’s important to double check your polling place before voting in person on Election Day, as it may have moved since you last voted. You can find your polling location here.
- CCJ is offering free rides to the polls for those who need them! If you are planning to vote in person on Election Day but are having trouble finding transportation, please fill out this form and we’ll do our best to connect you with a staff member or volunteer who can help out.
- If you have a mail ballot but have not sent it yet, it is recommended that you return it at an in-person return site instead of mailing this close to Election Day. You can find a list of return sites here.
- Check your ballot status:
- If you voted by mail, you can use this form to track your ballot and make sure it arrives by Election Day to be counted. Remember, it must be marked ‘received’ by 8PM on Tuesday to count!
- Thanks to the recent Commonwealth Court decision in our case against the Washington County Board of Elections, you will be informed if your ballot is received and rejected due to a disqualifying error. If this happens, you may request a provisional ballot and vote in person on Election Day.
- Save the Election Day hotline (866-OUR-VOTE)
- If you see an issue at your polling place or ballot dropoff location or just have additional questions about your rights as a voter, call or text the Election Protection Coalition at 866-687-8683 and they’ll contact the appropriate authorities or watchdogs to make sure all of our voices are heard this year.
A 30th Anniversary Fundraiser to Remember
On October 5th, we had the great privilege of hosting our 30th Anniversary Fall Fundraiser at the Stone Pavilion in Washington Park. We were joined by over 100 members, supporters, family and friends to celebrate all that CCJ has accomplished alongside in our communities over the past three decades.
Guests were able to check out over 70 donations from local businesses, artists, authors, restaurants, and more available at our silent auction and raffle. We all enjoyed food from Yoli’s Cucina, Breadworks, and Walnut Grill, drinks from Rusty Gold Brewing, reusable dishes and utensils from Dianne’s Dishware, and music by Aristotle Jones. When all was said and done, we raised over $4,000 to help continue our work for Washington and Greene Counties into the New Year! Read more and see lots of great photos from the event at the blog from our Events Coordinator Sarah Sweeney. (Can you believe this was the FIRST ever event she put together for us??)
Cecil Township has the Chance to Make History
For more than six months, residents of Cecil Township, Washington County have been organizing for the adoption of better protections from oil and gas operations in their township ordinance. After hundreds of comments at public hearings, expert testimony from scientists, doctors, and lawyers, and several proposed maps and drafts of new language, the Board of Supervisors will finally vote on Monday, November 4th on whether to adopt the final proposal.
This new ordinance would prohibit oil and gas operations within 5,000 feet of schools and hospitals and 2,500 feet of homes, businesses, and religious buildings (unless ALL property owners within that distance agree to allow it). It would be among the most protective township ordinances in all of southwestern Pennsylvania and could shape future buffer zone regulations at the municipal, county, and even state levels. If you’re a Cecil resident, we encourage you to attend the meeting on November 4th at 6:00 PM at the Cecil Township Municipal Building (3599 Millers Run Rd) to show your support for policies that protect our health, homes, and families prior to the Board vote later that night!
BLOGS & NEWS THIS MONTH
Franklin Township Zoning Board Approves More Wells On Cosgray
By Tonya Yoders | Oct. 3, 2024
The Franklin Township Zoning Board in Greene County recently approved EQT’s plans to drill 5 more wells and additional ‘above ground storage’ at their Cosgray Well Pad. The pad is located just 1,300 feet from UPMC Greene Hospital in Waynesburg. Residents live even closer — including homes less than 1,000 feet from the well pad. Read More
The Bigger Issues with OWPG and MERP
By Jason Capello | Oct. 11, 2024
The Orphaned Well Plugging Grant (OWPG) and Methane Emission Reduction Programs (MERP) are a pair of recent initiatives to use federal funding to address the issue of the hundreds of thousands of unplugged wells in Pennsylvania. And while residents may benefit from fewer leaky wells, both programs are essentially government subsidies for the oil and gas industry. Read More
TAKE ACTION
New: Stop the Dirty Deal Yet Again
In 2022, CCJ joined other frontline organizations to Stop the Dirty Deal, a proposal by Senator Manchin that would have stripped frontline communities of some of the protections we get from the federal permitting process. Our members traveled to D.C. to show Senate Majority Leader Schumer how many people opposed this back-door deal that would harm our communities. Many others sent letters to Pennsylvania Senators expressing that same sentiment.
Now, two years later, the dirty deal has been resurrected. Two proposals, one in the House and one in the Senate, both have the potential to be made into law by the end of the legislative session in January. We need your help once again to defeat the dirty deal once and for all. Tell your U.S. Senators and Representative to oppose this deal that threatens our communities.
More Than a Year After the Pitt Study, Governor Shapiro and the Department of Health Need to Act on Its Findings
Over a year ago, the University of Pittsburgh, in support of the PA Department of Health, released long-awaited results of the PA Health and Environment Studies. Those results showed an alarming correlation between health problems in kids living in Southwestern PA and fracking infrastructure. While presenting this data to impacted community members — including parents and children impacted by rare cancers — state officials made several promises to communities affected by the pollution from fracking infrastructure. Yet the Pennsylvania Department of Health has failed to take substantial measures to properly execute crucial action items.
We’re demanding answers as to why Governor Shapiro’s Department of Health has failed to fulfill the essential promises made to residents who fear that living near fracking may be harming their children’s health. Sign the letter at the link below to ask Governor Shapiro and PA DOH secretary Dr. Debra Bogen to take action to protect our communities and kids!
Limit Corporate Money in our Democracy — End Unlimited Campaign Donations in Pennsylvania!
If you’ve watched TV, listened to the radio, read a newspaper, or driven anywhere in southwestern Pennsylvania the past two months, you know there is an unreal amount of money being spent on political campaigns in our state. There’s a reason for that: Pennsylvania is one of the only states with no limits on political campaign contributions. Corporations in our region use their donations and Political Action Committees to influence who represents us at the state and local level — and ultimately, the agencies that hold them responsible for violations. In fact, since 2018, fossil fuel companies and utilities alone have contributed over $1 million to political candidates in Washington and Greene Counties! Sign our petition calling for a limit on campaign donations to our elected officials. Together, we can build a government where everyone’s voice is heard, not just the wealthy few, and where liberty and justice is for all, no exceptions!
Tell your PA State Senator to Protect Our Access to Information by Voting NO on SB 525!
The PA Senate is about to vote on SB 525, a bill that allows agencies to label citizens who utilize Right-To-Know requests as “Vexatious Requesters” and deny them access to records for up to a year. Local governments have claimed this is necessary because they have a hard time responding to the volume of Right-to-Know requests they receive. However, if this were the case, our state government could and should provide local governments with resources to increase their capacity to respond to all requests. This bill is simply a way to limit the amount of information that citizens can access and punish those who request it. Take action to tell your Senator to vote against SB 525 and protect our right to information!
PUBLIC NOTICES
Read all of the latest relevant public notices from the past month for Washington and Greene Counties as of October 28th here.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Radical Transparency Information Session — October 16 | 6:30 PM
Do you live near one of the CNX Resources’ “Radical Transparency” sites pictured in the graphic above? Would you like to learn more about these sites and how CNX’s efforts to launder their image negatively affects our communities? Join us on November 13th at 6:30PM at the Claysville Community Center (212 Main St) for a Know Your Rights Event focused on CNX’s oil and gas operations in Washington and Greene County. We’ll discuss what CNX is and isn’t reporting and what their partnership with the state might mean for future challenges to combatting pollution caused by fracking.
SAVE THE DATE: CCJ Holiday Party — December 16
Mark your calendars for a fun holiday get-together with CCJ staff, board, and other members and supporters from around the area at our office in Washington, PA. We’ll drink, eat, talk about the past year’s work, and enjoy each others’ company together. No meeting agenda, no guest speakers, just fun with our CCJ fam! Keep an eye on your inbox for more information coming later this month.
ALLY & COMMUNITY EVENTS:
LeMoyne Community Center Holiday Toy Drive
Now through November 25th, you are invited to donate new, unwrapped toys, make a monetary donation, or purchase an item from the Lemoyne Community Center’s Amazon Wish List for their annual toy distribution event this holiday season. You can drop off items at the Community Center (200 N Forrest Ave, Washington, PA) on weekdays from 9AM to 5PM. Celebrate the giving season and bring a smile to Washington families this year by contributing what you can!
11/1 — Ryerson Game Night
- 6 – 8 PM at Ryerson Station State Park Office (Wind Ridge, PA)
- Stop by the Park Office Environmental Education Center at for the first ever Ryerson Game Night with the DCNR staff. Choose between a Nature Themed Board Game, Animal Track Bingo, Scat I.D. and a game involving guessing the number of birds seen at Ryerson this year.
11/2 — Drink Your Watershed: Annual Fundraiser for Clean Water
- 5 – 9 PM at Pittsburgh Brewing Company
- Support Three Rivers Waterkeeper’s efforts to protect the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers by attending their annual fundraiser. Enjoy dinner, drinks, a tour of Pittsburgh Brewing Company, and more.
- Buy Your Tickets Here
11/21 — Yough Defense Party
- 2 – 11 PM at Falls City Pub (Ohioyple, PA)
- Celebrate Mountain Watershed Association’s work protecting communities and the environment in Fayette County at their annual Yough Defense Party. Tickets include entry, a free drink ticket and food throughout the night. They’ll even be projecting the Steelers game in the evening so you don’t have to miss out!
WEEKLY AND MONTHLY EVENTS
Tuesdays & Saturdays — Greene County Flea Market
7 AM – 2 PM at Greene County Fairgrounds
Second Saturday Monthly — Free Food Pantry
9 AM – 12 PM at Lemoyne Center
You can find more 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.
