Our blogs are written by the staff of the Center for Coalfield Justice, with an occasional guest post. The most recent post appears on top, and others show up below in order of publishing date. You can receive the blogs in your inbox by signing up for our mailing list. Once per month we publish a newsletter, which contains most of the blog posts.
CCJ is Supporting a Holiday Toy Drive for Club Serenity in Charleroi
Through our advocacy work with the Washington County Opioid Overdose Coalition and its members, we have developed relationships with individuals and families throughout our communities who have felt and continue to feel the impacts of the opioid crisis. We have been working to decrease the stigma around this issue in order to better resource harm…
Our 9th Annual Fall Fundraiser Brought Community Together to Celebrate CCJ!
On Saturday, October 14th, CCJ hosted our 9th Annual Fall Fundraiser in the Stone Pavilion at Washington Park. It was a celebration of our shared commitment to safeguarding our communities and environment from the impacts of extraction. This annual event raises funds to support CCJ’s mission of educating, empowering, and organizing coalfield residents around environmental…
2023 is an Important Election Year! Part Two: County and Municipal Elections
The upcoming November 7th election may seem to lack luster – we will not be voting for President or Governor – but we do have the opportunity to vote for county and municipal officials – positions that make decisions that affect our everyday lives. *For this blog, we list candidates in the order they appear…
2023 is an Important Election Year! Part One: Judicial Elections
It’s an “off-year” for elections – we don’t vote for President, Governor, or for state or federal congressional representatives. But this is still an important election year. This year, Pennsylvanians have the opportunity to vote for judges and municipal officials – positions that make decisions that affect our everyday lives. *For this blog, we list…
Washington County awards its largest broadband project since the start of the initiative
On July 20th, the Washington County Commissioners awarded the final three projects for the third phase of the Broadband Program to Comcast. This group of projects is the largest and the most expensive since the start of the initiative back in 2021. These projects will extend broadband access too 2,600 previously unserved locations in East…
Purdue Pharmaceuticals Bankruptcy Settlement Paused
While state and local governments have begun receiving their share of opioid settlement funds from a variety of parties held responsible for harm, the maker of the drug that is at the center of the opioid crisis, Purdue Pharma, has been trying to shield its wealthy Sackler family owners from further lawsuits over their role…
Forward Together: Finding Hope in the Results of Pitt’s Studies on Fracking and Public Health
I’m sure like many of you, I found it difficult to sleep at night after the meeting about the results of the Pitt PA Health and Environment studies. Not because I was in despair, but because I was reeling with energy from the meeting. I was asked by a reporter what I was most angry about coming out of the meeting, and I paused to think of the crucial reason my stomach was turning. I found myself unable to, and responded that I was far more hopeful than I was angry.
Federal agencies approve new Harm Reduction Resources
Harm Reduction advocates have been hard at work trying to get state, local and federal governments to increase and expand resources and services to combat the opioid crisis and mitigate the amount of overdoses and overdose deaths across the nation. A couple new resources are now available. Recently, a test strip pre-order form was created…
Black Lung and Silica Rule Updates
Living in coal country, most of us know someone who has – or, more unfortunately, had – black lung, silicosis, and other respiratory diseases associated with coal mining. Sure, on paper the companies may show compliance with state regulations, but the fact is, more and more miners receive diagnoses of irreversible and progressive lung…
CCJ’s 9th Annual Fall Fundraiser Preview
Click here to get your tickets! If you are a local business or artist interested in donating an item for our raffle or silent auction, please contact our Event Coordinator, Allison Evans, by emailing allison@centerforcoalfieldjustice.org or calling (412) 229-7680. Check out some of our 2023 auction items! 2023 Donors Special thanks to all of our…