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.
Takeaways for Washington and Greene Counties from “Climate Solutions from the Frontlines of Environmental Justice”
It’s not often that environmental justice communities are centered in discussions about the solutions we need in order to address climate change. This is unfortunate for one critical reason: people who are most impacted by the climate crisis are the ones who know what has to happen to bring about real solutions.
$51.5 million coming to southwestern PA for infrastructure improvements
On March 10th, Congress cleared the first major federal spending legislation of President Biden’s administration. The $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill will bring roughly $51.5 million to Southwestern PA. The funds will be distributed across the counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland. The incoming funds are for initiatives including the construction of…
Our Annual Seed Swap is Growing!
On Sunday, April 3rd, 2022, we hosted our second annual “seed swap” in our new office at 30 East Beau St. It was a huge success, with over 70 people attending! We were hoping to have the seed swap in the exciting new Firefly Garden space near our office in downtown Washington; however, the cold,…
How Did Coal Get Mixed Up with Cryptocurrency?
Cryptocurrency is just about everywhere these days. The two most well known and currently used are Bitcoin and Ethereum, but there are numerous others out there as well.
May Primary Reminder
Are you registered to vote? If not, we encourage you to do so. There are four ways to register to vote in Pennsylvania. Here is some important information for you to remember for the May 17th primary election: The last day to register to vote is May 2nd, and the last day to request a…
We Need Your Help to Strengthen Protections for EJ Communities
This blog shows a past action about submitting comments for the draft policy of the Office of Environmental Justice.
Solar Power is a Great Climate Solution. Here’s Why.
When I first joined team CCJ back in 2019, I was tasked with supporting local community members in holding a Solar Festival in Greene County, the heart of Coal Country. Residents wanted to introduce the efficacy of solar power to their communities.
The American Rescue Plan and Local Municipalities
The American Rescue Plan Act, also known as ARPA, has brought $98.9 million to Washington County and just over $7 million to Greene County. The Center for Coalfield Justice believes that the residents within these communities know what’s best when it comes to their needs and the needs of their communities. Therefore, community members should…
Hickory Telephone receives contract to expand broadband access in a pilot program
As an organization that serves the southwest corner of the state, we are familiar with the struggle that comes with not having a reliable internet connection. There is a strong need for improved internet services in Greene and Washington Counties as well as many other rural areas in the state. Luckily, there is a broadband…
How do we structure our organizing principles at CCJ?
At the Center for Coalfield Justice, we are rooted in our communities here in Washington and Greene Counties. We take a bottom-up approach to our work, meaning the Center for Coalfield Justice follows the direction of our members, not vice versa. There is no place quite like the lush rolling hills of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and…