Southwest Virginia And Appalachia Advocates Urge Congress To Stop Delays On Abandoned Coal Mine Cleanup

Despite bipartisan support in the United States Congress, several bills that would have aided southwest Virginia coal impacted communities with cleanup of abandoned mine sites have once again stalled in congress. Advocates from southwest Virginia and Appalachia are now calling on Congress to end the delays. In a press conference on Monday, the group urged lawmakers to stop delaying action on surface mining control and reclamation acts, work that could spur immediate job creation and to adequately fund the Black Lung disability Trust Fund. Southwest Virginia has more than 400 million dollars in unfunded abandoned mine land cleanup costs.