Our Work
All of our work is informed and directed by people who live in Washington and Greene Counties. We work with people around the issues that are impacting them, which typically fall into four pillars: Coal, Oil/Gas & Petrochemical, Economic Justice, and Democracy. Through our work in these categories, our focus is to invest in the leadership of those who are most impacted and to help create communities of people that possess the skills and analysis to advocate for their basic rights to a healthy environment and thriving economy.
Directly below, you can access more information on the different facets of our work, and our blogs appear beneath, beginning with the most recent.
Updates on our Work
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.
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“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.”
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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 […]
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Lois Bower-Bjornson, Southwestern Pennsylvania Field Organizer, Clean Air Council, 412-979-5509, lbb@cleanair.org Laura Dagley, Medical Advocacy Coordinator, Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania, 540-556-0132, laura@psrpa.org Ned Ketyer, Board […]
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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 […]
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“This is a good first step, as it will help to provide important information to the public; however, it still keeps the burden of testing waterways for hazardous waste on us, the taxpayers. It is imperative that the oil and gas industry bear the cost of ensuring clean waterways. Protecting health and taxpayer money can only happen if and when Governor Wolf closes the oil and gas waste loophole.”
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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Our organization looks a little different these days: of course, we’ve grown the size of our staff to be better prepared to address the challenges we face in Greene and […]
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The Dutch Fork Lake Free Kids’ Fishing day, offered by CCJ and the BCWA (Buffalo Creek Watershed Association), was a good time for all that came out. All but one […]
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Despite the financial inconsistencies, the DOH seemed receptive to the ongoing request for a visit to Southwestern Pennsylvania. Heaven Sensky, Community Organizer for Center for Coalfield Justice, said, “It is absolutely imperative that representatives from the Department of Health, who are making decisions and drawing conclusions about our exposure to harmful fossil fuel extraction, come to our communities and witness themselves what we are facing. One cannot begin to understand the proximity and density of families whose homes and lives have been invaded by the fossil fuel industry without taking the time to witness it. We welcome the Department of Health to our community, and we hope that their experience here will better inform them moving forward with the study.”
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