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.
Oil and Gas Amid Invasion of Ukraine: Never Let a Crisis Go to Waste
Oil and gas prices are hitting families across the globe exceptionally hard in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Narratives around who’s to blame and what could/should/would be happening to lower prices are spreading rampantly across media of all forms. In the narrative painted by industry, there are some significant missing pieces to the…
Today is World Water Day, and coalfield residents need your help!
DONATE NOW Imagine waking up and starting to make your morning coffee only to find that your water has stopped flowing. Many of those who live in coal country, unfortunately, have experienced or at least know a neighbor whom this has happened to. The likely cause of the water loss is longwall coal mining. In…
Hundreds of Homes to be Undermined in Upcoming Mine Expansions: Donate Now to Support Coalfield Communities!
The effects of coal mining on communities and the environment is what originally led to the formation of a coalition of grassroots groups and individuals called the “Tri-State Citizens Mining Network” in 1994 – the organization that is now CCJ. The people involved recognized the need to work together to build a strong voice in…
Union Township Residents Delay Vote on Sarah Well Pad to Demand More Public Health Protections
On March 9th, Union Township residents organized together to pressure their Board of Supervisors to delay a vote to approve the conditions for the Sarah Well Pad. They won an extension. Community members made it clear that they needed the Board of Supervisors to postpone their planned vote to approve EQT’s application for the Sarah…
CCJ Fellowship Program Application Open
A core focus of our work is to invest in community leaders because we believe people who live the daily impacts of fossil extraction are experts in their lived experiences and should be leading the transition to a healthier environment and thriving economy. We are excited to announce our 2022 Fellowship Program to invest in…
Why Saving Seeds is a Radical Act
Growing your own food and saving your own seeds is a radical act of self-sufficiency. In our modern, fast-paced world, many people would say food comes from “the supermarket” and couldn’t recognize the plants that grow their food. That isn’t the fault of most people who are busy working two jobs just to survive. Our…
Anti-RGGI House Bill 637 Is a Bad Deal for Pennsylvania
This piece was written by Veronica Coptis in response to a proposed amendment to House Bill 637. For context, see this article in the Indiana Gazette and this one in the PA Environment Digest blog. I’m from coal country. Like other coal communities, we have been neglected by the rest of the country. I grew…
A Recap of our February Community Meeting: Examining Climate
At our February Community Meeting on Tuesday night, we launched our Examining Climate blog series by discussing two critical topics related to climate change: a Just Transition and renewable energy. CCJ Campaign Manager Sarah Martik kicked off the meeting by explaining that the climate crisis is real, human-induced, and that it’s impacting communities right now….
CCJ Applauds Funding to Reclaim Abandoned Mine Lands and Close and Clean Up Orphaned Gas Wells and Sites
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Lisa DePaoli, lisa@centerforcoalfieldjustice.org, 724-229-3550, ext. 5 WASHINGTON, PA — In response to the Department of the Interior announcing almost $245 million for the state of Pennsylvania for reclaiming abandoned mine lands (AML), along with a potential for $330 million for the proper closure and cleanup of orphaned gas wells and well…
You Can’t Solve the Climate Crisis without a Just Transition
The Center for Coalfield Justice is excited to announce a new blog series written by our staff: Examining Climate. This year, CCJ staff members will be sharing their favorite (or least favorite) climate solution, looking at the benefits and the costs in the hope of sparking an honest conversation about how we address the climate crisis and…