Appalachian Citizens Law Center Inc

ACLC IS A NONPROFIT LAW FIRM THAT ENGAGES IN STRATEGIC LITIGATION AND POLICY WORK IN THE AREA OF MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, LEGACY COST OF EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES ON THE PEOPLE, LAND AND ECONOMY OF THE CENTRAL APPALACHIAN REGION, AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

MINERS' HEALTH AND SAFETY: WE PROVIDED FREE LEGAL SERVICES TO HUNDREDS OF BLACK LUNG VICTIMS AND WIDOWS IN FEDERAL BLACK LUNG BENEFITS CASES AND RELATED LITIGATION. WE ADVOCATED FOR STRENGTHENED FEDERAL REGULATIONS REDUCING EXPOSURE TO COAL AND SILICA DUST. WE ACTED AS A RESOURCE TO COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY BLACK LUNG DISEASE AS WELL AS TO THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITIES THAT SUPPORT THEM BY PROVIDING INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE REGARDING CHANGES TO BLACK LUNG LAW, POLICIES AND MEDICAL RESEARCH. ACLC ALSO REPRESENTED MINERS THAT WERE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST FOR MAKING SAFETY COMPLAINTS.

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: ACLC CONTINUED TO PROVIDE FREE LEGAL SERVICES TO FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES WHOSE LAND AND ENVIRONMENT IS DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY COAL MINING AND OTHER DESTRUCTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES IN OUR REGION. ACLC CONTINUED TO REPRESENT ONE COMMUNITY IN ITS EFFORTS TO ADDRESS FAILURES IN ITS PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM AND ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THAT COMMUNITY AND OTHERS IN THE REGION DEALING WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN STATE AND NATIONAL FORUMS. ACLC REPRESENTED A COALITION OF GROUPS IN A LARGE COAL BANKRUPTCY CASE AS PART OF A BROADER EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE WIDESPREAD PROBLEM OF THE COAL INDUSTRY'S ABANDONMENT OF ITS MINE CLEAN UP OBLIGATIONS. ACLC ALSO PROVIDED ANALYSIS AND TESTIMONY TO CONGRESS ON THE PROBLEM OF ABANDONMENT OF RECLAMATION LIABILITIES.

POLICY AND ADVOCACY: ACLC SEEKS TO PROMOTE A JUST TRANSITION IN CENTRAL APPALACHIA AS THE COAL ECONOMY DECLINES AND INVESTMENTS MADE IN NEW ECONOMIC AND ENERGY FUTURES. IN 2021, WE ENGAGED IN EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, COMMUNITY GROUP CAPACITY BUILDING, POLICY ANALYSIS, AND ADVOCACY IN PURSUIT OF THIS GOAL. WE ENGAGED PARTICULARLY AROUND THE PASSAGE OF THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW WHICH MADE A HISTORIC INVESTMENT IN ABANDONED MINE LAND CLEAN-UP, ISSUES RELATED TO COAL COMPANY BANKRUPTCY AND ABANDONED RECLAMATION LIABILITIES, AND THE EPIDEMIC OF BLACK LUNG DISEASE AND THE SOLVENCY OF THE BLACK LUNG DISABILITY TRUST FUND. WE ALSO ANALYZED ECONOMIC INVESTMENTS MADE INTO COAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND ADVOCATED FOR STATE-LEVEL POLICY IN VIRGINIA TO SUPPORT THE SOUTHWEST REGION'S TRANSITION AWAY FROM COAL MINING.