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Appalachian Voices outlines Clinchco recovery work; county passes Black Lung resolution
Summary
Appalachian Voices presented community resilience and reclamation projects in Clinchco; the board unanimously adopted a resolution urging federal lawmakers to support higher Black Lung benefits.
Representatives from Appalachian Voices described ongoing community and resilience work in Clinchco on Tuesday, and the Dickenson County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt a resolution backing increased federal Black Lung benefits.
Kara, a staff member with Appalachian Voices’ Norton office, told the board the organization used an EPA grant to conduct listening sessions in five Coalfield communities and is supporting projects that include mineland reclamation, community revitalization, waterline work and a study of possible resilience hubs in Clinchco.
Kara said Appalachian Voices has helped secure grants and technical assistance for projects such as the Crane’s Nest Trail, Trammell community revitalization and a waterline extension. She described a Department of Energy–funded study to explore a community resilience hub that could provide backup power, food and charging stations during emergencies.
Annie Jane Cotton, who works with several Black Lung Associations, asked the board to adopt a local resolution urging members of Congress to support legislation to tie Black Lung benefits to inflation and to streamline access for miners and dependents. Cotton told supervisors she estimated roughly 400 people in Dickenson County receive Black Lung benefits and said those payments have lost purchasing power since 1969.
A supervisor moved to adopt the Black Lung resolution and the board approved it without recorded opposition.
Appalachian Voices also said it remains involved in Clinchco despite an earlier notice of grant termination and is continuing stakeholder meetings and technical assistance to pursue other funding sources for locally identified projects.
Supervisors were invited to attend a stakeholder meeting connected to the Department of Energy study; Appalachian Voices provided contact information for follow-up.
