News & Updates
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In Memorium: A Tribute to Steve Sanders
We are deeply saddened by the passing of ACLC’s founding director Steve Sanders. After years as Appalred’s managing attorney in Prestonsburg, Steve helped start ACLC. Steve built the organization, serving as ACLC’s Director for 17 years and continuing to work part time, writing thoughtful and effective arguments for ACLC’s clients, after his retirement in 2018. …
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Congress introduces two bills to help coal miners access black lung benefits
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 16, 2025 CONTACT: Quenton King, quenton@appvoices.org; Rebecca Shelton, rshelton@aclc.org Today, U.S. senators and representatives introduced two bills to help coal miners with black lung disease apply for medical and disability benefits, while also raising the amount miners with black lung and their families receive in disability benefits each month. The Black…
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National miners’ day: A day to remember that miner health & safety must always be the top priority
On December 6th, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) will celebrate National Miners’ Day, in order to “recognize and applaud the skill, dedication, and hard work miners put into providing many of the products essential to fulfilling America’s most vital need” and to “recommit to ensuring that miners’ safety and health must always be…
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A Dozen Organizations Launch Appalachian Flood Resilience Coalition to Protect Appalachians from Devastating Floods
APPALACHIA – A dozen organizations, based across seven states, have joined together to launch the Appalachian Flood Resilience Coalition to drive regional collaboration and advocacy in support of policy change and investment needed to create a resilient Appalachia. It promotes the federal policy goals included in the widely endorsed Flood Resilience in Appalachia policy platform…
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84 local resolutions urging increase to black lung benefits delivered to D.C.
Coalfield towns send strong message to 26 U.S. reps On Oct 6, ACLC’s policy team delivered 84 local resolutions to 26 congressional offices across five coalfield states. The package covers nearly 4 million residents and 10,296 families on benefits. Throughout the year, ACLC staff have been meeting with city and county officials, sharing model language, and tracking votes, with support…
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Coal miners, advocates rally in Washington, D.C. to protest attacks on black lung and miner protections
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 14, 2025 CONTACTS: Chelsea Barnes, Director of Government Affairs and Strategy at Appalachian Voices, chelsea@appvoices.org, 614 205-6424 Gary Hairston, President of the National Black Lung Association, 304-575-7898 Vonda Robinson, Vice President of the National Black Lung Association, 276-219-5925 Rebecca Shelton, Director of Policy at Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center, rshelton@aclc.org Today, more…
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One Year After Helene: Reflecting and Rebuilding in North Carolina
Guest Author: Jessica Arriens, Senior Program Manager, Climate & Energy Policy at National Wildlife Federation And a special thank you to our colleagues in North Carolina for sharing their reflections It’s been nearly a year since Hurricane Helene swept through the U.S., carving a path of destruction that started in Florida’s Big Bend region and…
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Newsletter – August 2025
Getty Images From Coal to Solar: Why Starfire Matters Now Developers promise to re-invent Appalachia with multi-billion-dollar solar projects. Advocates are working to ensure those promises deliver real benefits without repeating the mistakes of the past. On August 1, the Starfire Solar Project won regulatory approval to begin the first of four construction phases in…
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More Coal Miner Lives in Jeopardy as Silica Safeguard Delayed Yet Again
Coal Industry’s Attempts to Avoid Accountability Continue as Black Lung Epidemic Endures COAL COUNTRY – Measures that prevent deadly silica dust exposure among coal miners are indefinitely delayed, as coal industry lawyers and the Trump Administration’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reportedly continue to negotiate a settlement to the industry’s case to block safeguards…
