IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
This Month, the Trump Administration’s Two-Faced Coal Policies Put Communities and Miners at Further Risk
On April 8, President Trump signed a series of Executive Orders he said would “reinvigorate” the coal industry. Some of the new policies include opening up more federal land for coal mining, designating coal as a mineral rather than a fuel source to give it an advantage under certain regulations, expanding categorical exclusions for coal under the National Environmental Policy Act to make permitting easier, and accelerating the use of coal to power artificial intelligence data centers.
Trump claims these policies will bring back coal jobs, leading to reopened mines and power plants and prosperity for coal communities. But we’ve heard this all before. He made the same claims and signed similar orders during his first term in office, yet oversaw the closure of nearly 100 coal plants and a 30% decline in coal production his first four years. Delaying the necessary transition away from coal has left workers and communities behind and continuing to ignore our economic reality will only further harm them. As our Executive Director Sarah Martik said in our press release about the orders, “President Trump’s actions won’t change the reality that the energy landscape is changing rapidly, but his Executive Order may delay the inevitable just long enough to enrich his tech-bro friends by funneling coal into AI data centers with less oversight at the expense of communities like ours.”
These orders come on the heels of the Trump administration rolling back regulations on carbon, mercury, and toxic air pollution at coal-fired power plants, gutting the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), and laying off the entire Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP) at the Centers for Disease Control. Immediately after signing them, MSHA announced a “temporary” pause of its rulemaking to reduce miners’ exposure to crystalline silica associated with dramatically rising rates of silicosis, black lung and COPD in workers. Combined with the closure of at least 34 MSHA field offices responsible for health and safety inspections and the elimination of the CWHSP program monitoring respiratory diseases in miners, this decision is a massive blow to the health of coal miners. It undoes years of work by health, labor, and environmental advocates to protect some of our most vulnerable workers. What’s worse, it sacrifices coal miners all while President Trump brags about saving them; this hypocritical decision is an example of everything that’s wrong with the current administration’s priorities.
Our Senior Organizer Nick Hood said in a statement, “Coal has been on a long, steep decline for decades, but miner issues have increased, and pausing the silica rule only hurts them more . . . [It] will make it cheaper for coal companies, but cost more for coal miners in the form of their health and safety.” In the uncertain times ahead, CCJ will continue advocating for the health and safety of workers, a just economic future for coal communities, and the protection of our environment.
CCJ is Hiring: Apply Now!
We are looking for a Communications Fellow and a Legal Fellow to assist our environmental and economic justice work in 2025. Both positions are temporary, with part-time or full-time options depending on availability, and pay $20 per hour. Preference will be given to candidates living in or familiar with Washington or Greene County. Apply now! Interviews begin May 12th.
The Communications Fellow will help promote CCJ’s work by writing content for our online and outreach materials. Experience with communications, media, social media, or content creation are preferred but not required. More info and application here.
The Legal Fellow will support research on legal issues and policies relevant to our work. A Pennsylvania Bar-licensed attorney or Juris Doctorate candidate is wanted for this role. More info and application here.
Pennsylvania’s Primary Election is May 20th. Are You Prepared?
The 2025 Pennsylvania Primary Elections will be held on May 20th. Pennsylvania is one of 10 states with a fully closed primary system, which means that only registered Democrats and Republicans may vote in their respective elections. Third party or unaffiliated voters may not participate unless they change their party status prior to the May 5th registration deadline.
There will be two statewide positions on the ballot along with several local positions depending on your county and township. The statewide positions are for vacancies on the PA Commonwealth and Superior Courts. The county and municipal positions include County Controller, Sheriff, Township School Directors, and some Magistrate District Judges, Township Supervisors, Borough Councilors, Mayors, and more.
To vote in this election, you must be registered to vote by May 5th. You can check your registration here and register online here. To vote by mail, you must request a mail-in ballot here by May 13th. In-person voting will take place on May 20th from 7AM to 8PM. Mailed ballots must be received by your elections office by 8PM on May 20th. If you have additional questions or concerns about voting in this election, please reach out to us at info@centerforcoalfieldjustice.org or call 724-229-3550.
HARM REDUCTION PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Washington County Drug and Alcohol Commission – Recovery Center
The Washington County Drug and Alcohol Commission Recovery Center has been offering prevention, treatment, and recovery services since 2002. With open drop-in hours Monday though Friday, the Recovery Center exists to provide no-barrier access to harm reduction and recovery services. Anyone can utilize the Recovery Center for harm reduction kits (such as test strips and Naloxone), an introduction to mental health resources, or a first-step into substance abuse treatment options. Also, the Recovery Center provides additional resources such as clothing, career & housing assistance, and Certified Recovery Specialists to ensure they are prepared to deal with the wide range of factors involved in the recovery process. The Recovery Center is located on the lower level of the Millcraft Center at 90 W. Chestnut St., Washington, PA 15301. In addition to the open drop-in hours, you can call them at 724-223-1181 or fill out a contact request form and they’ll reach out to you.
BLOGS AND NEWS THIS MONTH
Pilgrims of Hope: Reflections from the 2025 Jubilee Convening on Global Climate Reparations
Posted on April 25, 2025
In 2015, Pope Francis called on the Catholic Church and its members to focus on the environment and its destruction. This spring, Taproot Earth invited Catholic and environmental leaders from across the globe to a Jubilee Convening on Global Climate Reparations in Rome. The purpose of this convening was to respond to the Pope’s message to advance the care for creation, cancellation of debts, and to end extractivism. Our Organizer Jodi Borello reflects on her experience, her faith, and how Catholics like her can answer the late Pope’s call together. Read more here.
Could an Indigenous Approach to Climate Change be the Solution for Rural Americans?
Posted on April 30, 2025
The language of climate change was very different for those of us in rural America. I am an adamant believer that we never quit learning, and as I learned more and more about climate change, there was one path towards climate solutions that resonated with this country girl again and again: native-led climate solutions. As I read further, the ideas that Native leaders have put forth felt so grounding to me. They just make sense. Read more from our Event Coordinator Sarah Sweeney here.
The Clean Air Act is Under Threat. Remember the Donora Smog?
Posted on April 30, 2025
In late March, Trump’s EPA announced that industry’s most hazardous polluters can request to sidestep Clean Air Act regulations and release unlimited amounts of toxic chemicals – including mercury, arsenic, and benzyne – into the air. So far, nearly 70 coal plants have reportedly received exemptions. Our Communications Director Lisa DePaoli discusses these threats to the Clean Air Act, their connection to the Donora Smog, and shares some perspective from historian and Donora Historical Society and Smog Museum curator Brian Charlton. Read More Here
TAKE ACTION
Protect Access to Voter Registration — Stop the SAVE Act!
The SAVE Act adds arbitrary, time-consuming paperwork and restrictions to our already safe and secure voting registration process. This bill – passed by the U.S. House earlier this month and up for vote in the Senate soon – would severely, and unnecessarily, restrict voting access to millions of people, particularly our nation’s most vulnerable populations.
It requires anyone registering to vote to provide proof of citizenship in-person via a birth certificate, passport or military ID, not just a driver’s license that most voting-age Americans have access to. This would eliminate the convenience of online or mail-in registration, disenfranchise an estimated tens of millions of legal American citizens who can’t access the required documents, and place further burden on understaffed election offices. 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. The bill also includes ambiguous language that could make registration much harder for anyone, including approximately 80% of married women who have changed their name, leaving it up to individual states to manage and causing 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 Senators Fetterman and McCormick to VOTE NO on the SAVE Act and preserve our constitutionally protected access to the ballot box!
NEW — Protect Overburdened Communities from Additional Pollution: Tell Your PA State Representatives to Vote YES on HB 109
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is advancing a bill that would be crucial to helping communities like those in Southwestern Pennsylvania that are overburdened with the effects of industry pollution, but still have new projects permitted in them every day. The current permitting process at the DEP does not allow for the consideration of “cumulative impacts”, defined as “the totality of existing and imminent environmental and public health impacts of pollution in a defined geographic area.” Instead, if a permit application meets all of the requirements set out by law, it is given approval no matter what industry already exists in the community.
HB 109 would change that. It allows the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to deny or modify a permit based on the cumulative impacts of pollution on the community in which the project is proposed. While it would only apply to projects proposed in designated Environmental Justice Areas rather than the whole state, this bill would still provide crucial protections for our most impacted communities by giving DEP the ability to consider and take action on cumulative impacts. It gives both DEP and impacted residents more tools to ensure vulnerable communities’ health and safety isn’t further put at risk to benefit industry expansion.
Setbacks Save Lives: Support Fracking Buffer Zones in Pennsylvania!
Our PA Department of Health found that if a child lives within one mile of an oil and gas well, they have a 5-7 times greater chance of getting lymphoma. MAD-FACTS is demanding that our local government and state officials protect our children and communities by enacting greater setbacks. This is a common sense measure that will protect our communities and MAD-FACTS is here to ensure that our leaders and residents know the facts.
Currently in Pennsylvania, an oil and gas well can be placed 500 feet from your home. Is this the best the oil and gas industry can do to protect the health of our children? We are asking for common sense reform to the current oil and gas setback in Pennsylvania. We are demanding further protections for our health, and now is the time to take action. Join us in telling our state legislators that we want to protect the children of our community by enacting common sense setbacks from the oil and gas industry.
PUBLIC NOTICES
Read all of the latest relevant public notices from the past month for Washington and Greene Counties as of April 22nd here.
UPCOMING CCJ EVENTS
Remembering Mather: How Mining Shaped Greene County ⛏️🌷
May 18 | 1 – 4 PM | Mather, PA
Join CCJ for our new event, Remembering Mather: How Mining Shaped Greene County. This event will take place on the day before the 97th anniversary of the tragic Mather Mine Disaster which took the lives of 195 miners in 1928. We want to commemorate this tragic event by building community with free food, dessert, kids activities, music, and an informative slideshow presentation about the historical events of that day and what it means for us now. It will be a day to appreciate miners of Greene County and their contributions, both past and present.
We hope you can join us to remember, appreciate, and celebrate the people and history of the area where it all happened. If you or your family have any stories, artifacts, or photos from the disaster or the time period of the mine, please feel free to share those with us and others either before or at the event. To share or to ask questions, please email our staff at info@centerforcoalfieldjustice or call our office at 724-229-3550.
MAD-FACTS Documentary Screening
May 22 | 6:30 – 8:30 PM | Location Provided Upon Registration
Join us for a MAD-FACTS documentary screening of the short film Listening to Your Neighbors produced by Mike Brownlee. Hear the heart-wrenching stories of residents who have been impacted by the adverse effects of fracking and living near the oil & gas industry. Know that you are not alone and together we can make a difference. This is a free event, refreshments will be provided, registration is required.
MAD-FACTS, or Moms and Dads-Family Awareness of Cancer Threat Spike, is a volunteer group started by a group of moms to address environmental pollution and injustice in our communities. We gather monthly to increase our knowledge and awareness and to take action with one another to create healthier communities for our families and the next generation.
Free Kids Fishing Day at Dutch Fork Lake 🎣🏞️
May 25 | 11 AM – 1 PM | Claysville, PA
CCJ and our friends at Buffalo Creek Watershed Association are excited to host our 5th Annual FREE Kids Fishing Day at Dutch Fork Lake in Claysville! We’ll be providing food, drinks, bait, tackle, and rods for two hours of free fishing fun! 🐟
- This is a family-friendly event where we will be providing community members with a free fishing rod for kids of all ages. And the best part? When they’re finished for the day, they get to keep their pole to use in the future!
- First time fishing? We’ll have experienced staff available to help teach you the basics, keep you safe, and answer questions about the lake.
- Don’t have a fishing license? Not a problem! This event aligns with the PA Fish & Boat Commission’s Fish-for-Free Day, allowing anyone (resident or non-resident) to legally fish in all Pennsylvania waterways.
Be sure to register now so we can make sure to plan to bring enough supplies and refreshments for everyone. We’ll see you there rain or shine!
Interested in supporting this event AND entering for a chance to win a brand new Trekkage Adventure Backpack? Enter our raffle today to make a REEL difference in supporting our annual fishing day celebration. By donating, you’ll help cover costs for the 100+ free poles we plan to give out to interested young anglers at the event, promoting engagement with our natural resources and fostering an interest in outdoor recreation for years to come! Every $25 you donate awards you 1 entry in our raffle, with a winner picked on May 27th. Help create lasting memories and raise environmental awareness of Pennsylvania’s waterways by entering today!
JUST ANNOUNCED – DRYerson Festival: 20 Years Without Duke Lake
June 14 | 1 – 4 PM | Wind Ridge, PA
Join Center for Coalfield Justice for our annual DRYerson Festival at Ryerson Station State Park. This year’s festival is very special, and particularly bittersweet, as we reflect on the 20th year since the loss of Duke Lake, the former crown jewel of Ryerson. In July of 2005, the dam was damaged by coal mining and the lake was permanently drained. Despite this loss, CCJ has continued to advocate for Ryerson and its value as one of the few recreational areas in Greene County, and residents haven’t given up on revitalizing the park. We will be sharing some of the exciting developments about what’s to come for Ryerson State Park!
We invite you to join us for this event, where we will be enjoying the beautiful outdoor space Ryerson still offers with plenty of FREE food, live music, kids’ activities, and community conversation about what the future of the park can look like! CCJ is always proud to host this event that allows our community to come together to remember what was, and look forward to what can be. We hope to see you there!
ALLY & COMMUNITY EVENTS:
5/10 — 3rd Annual Tenmile Creek Regatta
9 AM at Tenmile Ballfield (Amity, PA)
Marianna Volunteer Fire Department invites residents to come enjoy the day with neighbors floating down Tenmile Creek. This is a relaxing 4.6 mile float from the village of Tenmile to Marianna, followed by more fun at West Bethlehem Township Park including a bounce house, nature themed activities, and a touch-a-truck/photo opportunity with a Marianna VFC Fire Engine.
More important logistics and registration information here
5/23-26 — 2025 Heartwood Forest Council
Camp Crestfield (Slippery Rock, PA)
Join Heartwood for their annual gathering to celebrate the grassroots green movement, bringing together activists from across the region to a place that needs the attention and support of the Heartwood network. Featuring a keynote address by Old Growth Forest Network founder Joan Maloof, Ph.D, workshops, trainings, and skillshares from some of CCJ’s partners and allies, youth and family programs, a green marketplace, and more.
Register Here – $110 per person for full weekend, cost assistance available, none will be turned away due to pay
5/27 — Connecting to Nature Through Photography
7 – 8:30 PM at Mingo Creek Park, Shelter 4
Join W & J Professor Dr. James March and Washington County Department of Parks and Recreation to try your hand at nature photography and focus your cameras on the ecology in and around Mingo Creek at this family-friendly event. Dress for weather and some light hiking/walking, including shoes that can get a bit wet and bring a camera or cell phone camera if you have one. A limited number of cameras, including underwater cameras, will be available.
Register Here
6/10 — Shelby’s Poles for Kids Annual Benefit Concert
11 AM at Bobtown/Dunkard Township Park
Poles for Kids gives away free fishing poles to kids, raises awareness of childhood cancer, and spreads smiles and positivity while honoring Shelby Barnhart’s life, legacy, and love of fishing. Tune in for their annual benefit concert in Bobtown featuring music by Slim Pickins and Jeff Hughesman. Tickets are $10. For more information, call 724-998-1032
Learn more about this and other events from Shelby’s Poles for Kids here
WEEKLY AND MONTHLY EVENTS:
Tuesdays & Saturdays — Greene County Flea Market
7 AM – 2 PM at Greene County Fairgrounds
Every Other Saturday (4/12-11/8) — Music Saturday Nights
7 – 9 PM at New Freeport Fire Hall
Fridays (starting 6/6) — Monongahela Farmers Market
3 – 6 PM at Chess Park
More Info
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.