IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Have you Seen Our New MAD-FACTS Billboard on Rt. 19?
Keep your eyes (safely!) peeled the next time you’re driving north on Route 19 towards The Meadows Casino in Washington, PA for a glimpse of our new billboard bringing attention to the risks of fracking near homes and schools. It’s part of our ongoing efforts to win legislation that increases buffer zones from fracking at the local and state levels. To join us in telling your state legislators to protect the children of our community by enacting common sense setbacks from the oil and gas industry, sign onto our letter here!
Cecil Township Setback Ordinance Update
On Monday, February 17th, Cecil Township’s Zoning Hearing Board met to hear Range Resources’s challenge to the Oil and Gas Ordinance that passed in November. The ordinance established 2,500 foot buffer zones between new fracking operations and Cecil Township homes, with the option to waive the buffer if all landowners within the area agree. Range contends that the setback is a de facto ban on fracking within the township. Center for Coalfield Justice, Clean Air Council, and multiple Cecil Township landowners disagree, and our legal teams were on hand to defend the ordinance and challenge Range’s argument.
Range brought their first expert, their VP of Environmental Compliance, to testify, and indicated that they are inviting 2 to 3 more experts to future hearings. Given that the first hearing was dedicated entirely to the testimony and cross-examination of their first expert, we expect that this challenge will not be resolved at the ZHB until late spring/early summer. You can watch the full, 3-hour hearing on Cecil Township’s Youtube channel here.
HARM REDUCTION PARTNER SPOTLIGHT 🔦
Pinnacle Treatment Centers – Charleroi
The Charleroi Treatment Centers offer a wide range of services for folks dealing with substance use disorder in Washington and the surrounding areas. In 2024, they were awarded as one of the “Best Suboxone Treatment Centers” in our region by the organization Addiction Group. In addition to medication-assisted treatment, Pinnacle Treatment offers individual and group therapy, as well as counseling that includes your loved ones in the recovery process. As an outpatient therapy center, patients can enroll in life skills classes and regular check-ins to work on problem-solving and self-management goals, while taking care of their job, family, and other life responsibilities. Chris McKenzie, Community Relations Coordinator at Pinnacle Treatment, is an active member of the Washington County Opioid Overdose Coalition, and has been very helpful with introducing CCJ to the harm reduction space. If you are interested in their services, you can schedule a visit on their website, or give them a call at 724-565-1310.
BLOGS AND NEWS THIS MONTH
UPDATE: Tunnel Ridge Continues to Cost Tax Payers Money
Posted on February 26, 2025
Again!? There are more lane restrictions and slowdowns because of the Tunnel Ridge (Alliance Coal) longwall coal mining operation under I-70. They will remain in place for several weeks until mining is complete and roadway conditions allow for normal traffic flow. Read More
Silent Spring: Citizen Science and the Flow of Change
Posted on February 13, 2025
The power in Silent Spring wasn’t just the research and effort Carson put into the book. It was the effort and mountains of observations and data contributed by communities. The inherent understanding by these individuals that the systems around them were being impacted, that the costs of the methods employed by federal and private entities were not worth the benefits they were selling. Read More
Cultivating Community: Why We Host an Annual Seed Swap
Posted on February 13, 2025
Seeds, potting soil, containers to grow in, and other materials can be expensive. Even after researching the most cost-effective ways to garden, the cost to get started can add up quickly! This is one of the many reasons why every year with the help of our generous donors, we not only supply the community with seeds to support a bountiful harvest, but grow bags and free advice and resources from experts to help attendees get growing without breaking the bank. Read More
TAKE ACTION
Protect Access to Voter Registration — Stop the SAVE Act!
The SAVE Act (H.R. 22) adds arbitrary, time-consuming paperwork and exclusions to our already safe and secure voting registration process that will shut out millions of eligible voters from their right to participate in our democracy. It requires anyone attempting to register to vote to provide proof of citizenship in-person via a birth certificate, passport or military ID, eliminating the convenience of online or mail-in registration that could be done in a few minutes with a social security number and/or valid state ID. Over half of the U.S. population does not possess a passport, with lower-income Americans especially affected, and obtaining one is both expensive and time-consuming. Anyone who has changed their name, including an estimated 80% of married women, would be ineligible to use their birth certificate alone to prove citizenship because the SAVE Act gives no guidance for allowing Marriage Licenses or Name Change Documents. Instead, it leaves states in charge of managing discrepancies and issues with processing paperwork which will lead to even more confusion.
Voting is our right as U.S. citizens and we shouldn’t have to navigate a minefield of document requests and fees just to fulfill our civic duty. Sign CCJ’s letter telling elected officials to VOTE NO on the SAVE Act and preserve our constitutionally protected access to the ballot box!
Limit Corporate Money in our Democracy — End Unlimited Campaign Donations in Pennsylvania!
Do you think corporations should be able to donate unlimited amounts to campaigns, drowning out our voices? Pennsylvania is one of the only states with no limits on political campaign contributions. Corporations in our region use their donations to influence who represents us at the state and local level – and ultimately, the agencies that hold them responsible for violations. Since 2018, fossil fuel companies and utilities have contributed over $1 million to political candidates in Washington and Greene Counties! Sign our petition to tell your legislator you have concerns about the influence of corporate money in PA politics. 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!
Governor Shapiro and the Department of Health Must Act on the PA Health and Environment Studies that Link Fracking with Childhood Cancers
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!
PUBLIC NOTICES
Read all of the latest relevant public notices from the past month for Washington and Greene Counties as of February 24th here.
UPCOMING CCJ EVENTS
5th Annual CCJ Seed Swap 🌱🥕
March 22 | 1-4:00 PM | Washington Citizens Library
Join us on Saturday, March 22nd at the Citizens Library in Washington, PA from 1:00-4:00 PM for an afternoon of seed swapping, gardening education, and community growth. This is a FREE, family-friendly event, and we encourage your whole family to join in on the fun. While you are swapping seeds, enjoying refreshments, or meeting neighbors and experts from around the community, kids can stay busy at our kids’ activity station.
Bringing seeds to swap is NOT a requirement, but it is encouraged and appreciated – there is a big demand in our community! If you can’t attend our Seed Swap but would like to support our efforts, please consider mailing seeds or a donation to help with the purchase of seeds for the event to P.O. BOX 4023, Washington, PA 15301 or reach out to sweeney@centerforcoalfieldjustice.org, We are also seeking volunteers to assist with this year’s Seed Swap. If you are interested in doing so, please select the volunteer option in the “select a role” section of the registration page.
ALLY & COMMUNITY EVENTS:
3/4 — Beyond Plastics Annual Virtual Gala
7 PM on Zoom
Support the work of our allies at Beyond Plastics and enjoy a discussion with singer-songwriter and environmental advocate Natalie Merchant.
Buy your tickets starting at $25 here
3/6 — WEBINAR: Death by a Thousand Budget Cuts: Medicaid Cuts
12 PM on Zoom
Medicaid cuts aren’t just numbers on a budget sheet; they translate to denied care, worsening health disparities, and economic devastation. Join Black Appalachian Coalition (BLAC) for the first in their “Death by a Thousand Budget Cuts” series exposing how massive budget slashes will harm families, destabilize communities, and cripple our economy.
Register Here
3/11 — DEP MarkWest Harmon Creek Expansion Public Hearing
9 AM – 2:30 PM at Washington County Historical Society Research & Education Center
Washington County residents living near Bulger and Burgettstown are invited to attend a public hearing hosted by the Department of Environmental Protection and provide comments about an air quality plan and proposed expansion at the MarkWest Harmon Creek Cryogenic Gas Processing Plant. If you’d like to submit a comment raising your concerns and call for DEP to implement the strongest air quality and safety measures possible, be sure to register to attend in person by calling 412-442-4042 or emailing emgreen@pa.gov by 4PM on 3/10. If you’d like to submit your comment in written form, email it to dtomko@pa.gov by 3/21.
More information here
3/14 — No Man’s Land Film Festival
6 PM at Patagonia Pittsburgh (5509 Walnut St, Pittsburgh, PA)
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of No Man’s Land, a film festival focused on women working in the environmental conservation field, with Mountain Watershed Association and Patagonia Pittsburgh. Enjoy refreshments and a raffle for outdoor gear before the films start at 6:30 followed by a panel discussion with MWA staff about their campaigns and conservation efforts.
General Admission tickets available for $15 here
3/26 — Impacts of Fracking in North & South America: Resources in English & Spanish
1 PM on Zoom
The Compendium of Scientific, Medical, and Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking and Associated Gas and Oil Infrastructure, published by Concerned Health Professionals of New York and Physicians for Social Responsibility, includes hundreds of peer-reviewed publications documenting the health and environmental risks of fracking. Presenters will provide a brief overview of the science presented in the Compendium, with a focus on pathways of contamination and human health harms of fracking-related exposures.
Register Here
4/3 — Friends of Ryerson Meeting
Details TBD – follow the Friends of Ryerson Facebook page and keep an eye on our social media for updates. (Our previous newsletter indicated this meeting would take place March 27th, we apologize for any confusion.)
Get involved with efforts to support Greene County’s only state park! Friends of Ryerson is a community group dedicated to promoting the park and supporting improvement efforts through events and volunteering. Local residents are encouraged to join and make their voices heard when it comes to the future of the park.
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.