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 from the 2019 Shale & Public Health Conference
On Tuesday, I attended the 7th annual Shale & Public Health Conference at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. Just one day before, my colleagues at the Center for Coalfield Justice had gone to Harrisburg along with people whose health, or the health of their loved ones, has been directly impacted by…
Merchants of Doubt
This is an accompanying “What’s on Your Mind” blog written by Dave Ninehouser from The HearYourselfThink Project: Who was behind spreading this politically motivated slime job, aka “Pizzagate?” Most conspicuously, Alex Jones, of course. The same internet scam artist responsible for exploiting the deaths of the children murdered in the Sandy Hook school shooting by…
Let’s Not Let History Repeat Itself
Source: Kristen Locy I grew up in the shadow of coal mining in Appalachia. The remnants of the industry were ghosts in my life. I often bike on the Montour Trail where the Montour Railroad used to take coal to the steel mills in Pittsburgh. After my bike rides, I sometimes get ice cream in…
Cocoa Doesn’t Have to be Scary
It’s that spooky time of year. The Halloween decorations are out. The trees are bare. Ghouls are on the loose. Yet, the scariest fact is that your favorite Halloween candies are created by some of the biggest privately owned corporations in the world who exploit cocoa farmers and their communities (did you like my transition…
October 2019 Coalfield Review
READ OUR MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER, WHICH WILL UPDATE YOU ON OUR WORK, CURRENT ACTION ITEMS, AND UPCOMING EVENTS. IF THERE IS ANY OTHER INFORMATION YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE, PLEASE LET US KNOW. Featured Oct 29, 2019 Cocoa Doesn’t Have to be Scary Oct 29, 2019 Oct 29, 2019 Oct 22, 2019 HB 1102 could cost…
HB 1102 could cost us more than tax dollars
HB 1102, or the Keystone Energy Enhancement Act, creates a seven-member Keystone Energy Authority (“Authority”). The Authority’s mission is to locate, design, and subsidize natural gas and related manufacturing industries in the state, including the vastly contented petrochemical industries. All seven members of the board will be politically appointed by people in various political positions….
A Closer Look at Representative Tim O’Neal’s Response Letter on HB 1106 and HB 1107
In response to the House Committee’s vote, many of you took the time to send a letter to your House Representatives that express your concerns about these bills. One of these representatives, Mr. Tim O’Neal, who represents part of Washington County, took the time to reply to your concerns. This article will review his comments…
Party in the Park Celebrated 25 Years of Advocacy
From all of the CCJ staff (and Gizmo), a sincere thank you for coming out to celebrate with us, and we hope to see you soon!
Appalachia Receives $44.4 Million Dollar Grant to Diversify from Coal
On Tuesday, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced a $44.4 million investment package to “expand and diversify the economy in Appalachia’s coal-impacted communities.” The project consists of 54 awards given across Appalachia through the Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative. Nine of these projects are in Pennsylvania and will focus on…
Community Health in Southwestern Pennsylvania
This blog was written by a concerned and engaged CCJ member and retired nurse who attended Monday night’s community meeting at the Canon-McMillan High school. With her permission, we are sharing her comments with you as the 5th in our What’s on your mind? series. In my view, whether they meant to disclose it or not,…