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.
Updates to Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout
Considering the importance of knowledge and information around the COVID-19 vaccine, I joined Senator Camera Bartolotta’s telephone town hall last Thursday, where many issues concerning the rollout of the vaccine were discussed. CCJ understands the importance of this information and wants to make sure that everyone in our community receives it; therefore, I have written…
Statement of Solidarity and Action From PA to the Gulf South
A changing climate leads to changes in the frequency, intensity, duration, and timing of extreme weather and climate events, and can result in unprecedented extreme weather and climate events. —International Panel on Climate Change All of this is happening when we are still facing the ravages of a global pandemic, an extractive economy that continues…
Five Women of Color Creating a Better Community in Washington County
Judge Traci McDonald-Kemp Where she grew up: Washington, PA About her: Judge Traci McDonald-Kemp was the first black woman elected to a county-wide office in Washington County, and the first black woman to take the oath of office as a Washington County Common Pleas Court judge. Her father is local civil rights activist James R….
Our Rich Local Black History
Civil rights march – ‘March to the Post Office’ – in Washington PA in April 1964. Understanding our history is critical to building our future communities. It is not an accident that many of us did not learn the rich history of resistance and work to fight for respect and dignity for all people that…
Press Release: Environmental organizations work with DEP on settlement to allow public input on shale gas wastewater permits
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Environmental organizations work with DEP on settlement to allow public input on shale gas wastewater permits Today, the DEP agreed to allow public comment for all 49 permits and will accept public comments for 60 days from the date of public notice, which is expected no later than March 31, 2021. The…
CCJ’s Response to ORVI’s Report: The Natural Gas Fracking Boom and Appalachia’s Lost Economic Decade
On February 10, the Ohio River Valley Institute released a damning new report detailing the devastating reality so many of us have experienced firsthand: the jobs and prosperity promised to our region by oil and gas companies resulted in nothing but broken promises and crushed dreams. Contrary to the predictions we all heard from the…
100 Days for Climate, Jobs, and Justice — What You Can Do
Image from CCJ’s climate march Over the past two weeks, President Biden has already taken some bold actions to protect our environment and climate, like rejoining the Paris Agreement and stopping the Keystone XL Pipeline. In the President’s actions, we must ensure that Black, Indigenous, Brown, and working-class communities’ needs are put first as the…
CCJ’s Statement on the US Capitol Attack
We have witnessed in horror, alongside all of you, the violence in Washington, DC that was unleashed by President Trump and aided by many Republicans; those who remained silent in complicity, and those who joined in through their own attacks on the will of the people. Let’s not mince words: this was an attack on…
Our 2020 Annual Review – Support Our Work
Even with all the challenges, this past year has brought us, it is inspiring to witness the power and resistance that is growing in our communities to demand the basic rights we all deserve, but we cannot do this without your help. It was the support from you that has kept our team going. By…
140 Residents Attended Last Week’s Virtual Town Hall on the PA Department of Health’s Response to Local Cancer Crisis
Screenshot of the November 19th Virtual Town Hall event On November 22, 2019, Governor Tom Wolf announced that the state would commit $3 million to study the health impacts of fracking in Southwestern Pennsylvania communities after reports showed an alarming number of children in our area were diagnosed with rare childhood cancers. Since then, there…