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.
The latest on the efforts to close the hazardous waste loophole in PA
Under current PA law, oil and gas waste is not classified as hazardous, although it contains radioactive and other dangerous materials. This waste is allowed to be disposed of in our local landfills. Eventually, some of this waste makes its way into our streams and rivers, posing a health risk to all Pennsylvanians. CCJ has…
What we have asked for, and what they are giving us
Who determines whether we have clean air or not? As members of the public, do we hold a responsibility to ourselves and each other to ask for clean air? On the other hand, if we don’t ask for clean air, should we be surprised to find that our air is considered dangerous to our health?…
The climate crisis is here, and collective care is a solution
A few weekends ago, Hurricane Ida hit the Gulf Coast as a Category 4 and decimated communities, causing many people’s homes to be destroyed and millions to be without power and clean water and with limited access to internet/cell service. In Pennsylvania, many of us felt the impacts as Hurricane Ida downgraded to a tropical…
Close the Loophole in State Laws Governing the Disposal of Toxic Drilling Waste
Because of a shortsighted exemption made 30 years ago, Pennsylvanians are exposed daily to potentially toxic and radioactive waste produced by the oil and gas industry. For the last three decades, these companies have taken advantage of a loophole in state laws governing the disposal of toxic drilling waste.
PA Department of Health meets with families whose children have been impacted by rare cancers
“It is always surreal for me, as an impacted resident, to watch others experience the grief of some of our neighbors whose lives have been uprooted by the oil and gas industry,” said Heaven Sensky, Community Organizer for Center for Coalfield Justice. “It is uncomfortable to put ourselves up for display, and sometimes I even forget how vastly different our lives are compared to those who hold the power to make decisions about our safety. I want to thank the DOH for being respectful witnesses to our suffering. I am hoping with everything that I am that they will carry with them what they have seen here and that they will do something about it.”
NRDC’s Report: There is Radioactive Waste in our Water, Air, and Communities
Last week, the NRDC released a comprehensive report highlighting the gaps in our federal and state laws concerning how radioactive waste, generated from oil and gas development, gets into our water and air. The report, which is aptly titled: A Hot Fracking Mess: How Weak Regulations of Oil and Gas Production Leads to Radioactive Waste…
What is Happening at the Holbrook Compressor Station
The Holbrook Compressor Station (“Holbrook”), which sits on just over 44 acres of land adjacent to the Ryerson Station State Park in Richhill Township, Greene County, began its operation in 1955. Currently, there are twelve reciprocating units on site that aid in the movement of natural gas, which runs from the Gulf Coast of Texas…
If Qualified, You May Be Able to Receive Assistance with Paying Utility Bills and/or the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)
Utility Bills: If you find yourself struggling to pay your utility bills, you are not alone. Many people’s work hours have either been cut back or they have lost their jobs over the past year. Depending on your income level, you could be eligible for assistance from your utility providers. We want to ensure residents…
HB 1300, the “Voting Rights Protection Act,” is Vetoed by Governor Wolf
The year 2020 was hectic for everyone, especially for the U.S. postal service and election officials across the nation, who faced new struggles due to the presidential election and the pandemic. Many Pennsylvanians who haven’t had the desire or ability to vote before did so, and a significant number voted by mail, which was a…
DRYerson Festival 2021: Finally Together Again!
We had a wonderful time at our 15th annual DRYerson festival! It is hard to believe it has been 16 years since we lost Duke Lake, but we are heartened to still gather as a community at Ryerson and celebrate what we have and have fought so hard to protect. On Saturday, June 26th we…