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.
Help Deploy More Solar and Save Taxpayer Money, Tell Your State Rep to Vote Yes on HB 2577 Today!
Author Jason Capello Jason Capello is a community advocate at CCJ. Jason has just recently moved back into the area, having left to teach in his hometown of Lebanon, Pa for the last 7 years. Jason has a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education: Science from Gwynedd Mercy University and a Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies from…
Franklin Township Zoning Board Approves More Wells On Cosgray
On August 27, 2024, the Franklin Township Zoning Board in Greene County held a meeting to hear Rice Energy/EQT representatives present their plans for expanding their operations on an existing well pad. The Cosgray well pad is near Bonar Ave and is roughly 1300 ft. from the Waynesburg Hospital. It was initially permitted for ten…
September 2024 Newsletter
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Our 30th Anniversary Fall Fundraiser is THIS WEEKEND! We’re just a few days away from our 30th anniversary celebration on Saturday, October 5th from 5 – 9 PM! We’re so excited to see friendly faces from across three decades of community building. Come celebrate with dinner, drinks, music by Aristotle Jones:…
SB 525 Threatens Our Access to Information
Next week, the Pennsylvania Senate is scheduled to vote on SB 525 for the last time before sending it to the House for their consideration. This bill would allow a state agency, a county, or a township to petition the Office of Open Records to get a person who often files Right-to-Know requests labeled as…
Former Executive Director Veronica Coptis on 30 Years of CCJ’s Evolution
The Center for Coalfield Justice is celebrating 30 years as an organization working to protect our environment, invest in rural and small-town communities, and advocate for justice. Our former Executive Director, Veronica Coptis, discussed some of her thoughts about the milestone and what CCJ has meant for her. Veronica worked at CCJ for over a…
Congratulations, Jodi!
We are so proud of our Community Organizer Jodi Borello, who is being recognized at the 2024 Physicians for Social Responsibility Health Heroes Awards! Jodi testified in front of the 43rd Statewide Grand Jury about the harm the oil and gas industry caused her family and the failure by regulators to protect public health. Her…
Governor Shapiro and PA DOH Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen: Take action on protecting PA children from fracking-related cancers!
Over a year ago this August, 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 the health of kids living in Southwestern PA and fracking infrastructure. According to the studies, children living near fracking infrastructure…
Third-party permitting is Coming to Pennsylvania. What Does that Mean for Energy Projects and Impacted Communities?
Every year at the beginning of summer, our Pennsylvania lawmakers spend weeks deciding how the state’s money will be spent in the upcoming year. Each party has priorities and negotiates to determine what will be included in the final budget. This budget season, our lawmakers kept much of their negotiations behind closed doors, and details…
Ballot Guide for Washington and Greene Counties
On November 5, 2024, we’ll be headed to the polls once again to decide who will represent our communities in our state and federal government offices. This year, as we do every four years, we will elect the President of the United States. However, the President isn’t the only thing we’re voting for this year…
Solar for Schools: The Push for Energy Equity
With the passage of Solar for Schools and recent federal investments into infrastructure development, now is the most profitable time for school districts to embrace solar. In recent years, there has been a growing trend among schools to embrace solar energy projects to save costs with the additional benefit of educating students about renewable energy…