We fight for
- Justice in the coalfields
- Miners’ Health & Safety
- environmental justice
- a better future
The Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center
is a nonprofit law firm that fights
for justice in the coalfields by:
Representing coal miners and their families on issues of black lung and mine safety
Working with grassroots groups and individuals to protect the land and people from misuse and degradation caused by extractive industries
Analyzing and advocating for policy that addresses the legacy costs of the coal industry and invests in the future of the region
Photo copyright Earl Dotter
News & Articles
- Advocates Call on Congress to Make Sure Coal Companies Don’t Skip Out on Black Lung ResponsibilitiesU.S. House’s Education and Workforce Committee Leadership Wants to Re-Open Loophole that Allows Industry to Ignore Black Lung Liabilities COAL COUNTRY — Yesterday, the Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Education, Tim Walberg, sent a letter to Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer urging the Trump administration to throw out a recently finalized safeguard that […]
- Indiana County, PA backs call for more black lung benefits for minersAt the request of the Appalachian Citizens Law Center in Whitesburg, Ky., the Indiana County Commissioners on Wednesday approved a resolution calling on the area’s federal lawmakers to support and vote for legislation to assist disabled miners. “Thousands of coal miners disabled by black lung disease and their dependents rely on federal black lung benefits,” […]
- Hundreds of Kentucky Coal Mines Falling Far Behind in Clean Up and Reclamation ProcessVIEW THE REPORT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 25, 2025 WHITESBURG, KENTUCKY — A new report from the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center (ACLC) released today finds widespread delays in the reclamation process at hundreds of Kentucky coal mines. Many of these mines are likely functionally abandoned, are at risk of creating new liabilities for communities and taxpayers, […]
We’ve got
your back.
ACLC works with coal miners, their families and residents of the coalfields who are seeking justice. We provide legal services free of charge.
Black lung victims and widows
Landowners trying to prevent mining
And many more.
Pursuing justice by empowering Appalachian communities
We work to prevent the rampant abuse of Appalachian communities from extractive industries by:
Uniting direct legal work with advocacy, policy, and research on issues of environmental justice and miners’ health and safety
Securing millions of dollars in black lung benefits for coal miners and their survivors
Representing hundreds of Appalachian citizens in defense of a safe and clean environment
Partnering with a broad coalition of aligned organizations to craft and support strong policy initiatives that expand protections for Central Appalachian workers and communities
Recent Comments