BLOGGER INDEX
Thom Kay
AV's Legislative Director, Thom spends his days between Durham, NC and Washington D.C., knee deep in politics and legislation, working to persuade decision-makers to protect Appalachian communities from mountaintop removal and to invest in a new economy for the region. He is the least outdoorsy person at Appalachian Voices, and he's just fine with that.
Friday, January 22nd, 2021 | Posted by Thom Kay | No Comments
Our legislative director outlines a list of action items for the Biden administration — suspending utility shutoffs during the pandemic, strengthening oversight of the fossil fuel industry, and moving swiftly to support just economic transition in coal-impacted communities.
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Saturday, August 8th, 2020 | Posted by Thom Kay | No Comments
For communities that depended on coal, the pandemic is exacerbating an already-urgent set of interlocking problems. Two regional coalitions have released plans to chart a brighter future for communities hit hardest by the changing coal economy.
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Wednesday, June 5th, 2019 | Posted by Thom Kay | No Comments
Politicians like to talk about helping rural Appalachia. The RECLAIM Act is a chance for them to show that they mean it. [
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Thursday, April 19th, 2018 | Posted by Thom Kay | No Comments
Congress included funding for several programs important for Appalachian communities, but failed to include the critical RECLAIM Act. [
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Friday, June 30th, 2017 | Posted by Thom Kay | 3 Comments
The RECLAIM Act would accelerate the cleanup of abandoned mines while spurring economic opportunities in coal communities. [
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Tuesday, March 21st, 2017 | Posted by Thom Kay | No Comments
The White House released its budget blueprint last week, and the proposal is nothing short of a disaster for Appalachia and rural communities across the country. Here's a look at a few agencies and programs the White House wants to completely eliminate if it had its way. [
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Friday, March 10th, 2017 | Posted by Thom Kay | No Comments
In a matter of weeks, health care benefits for thousands of retired union coal miners will run out. In just a matter of years, the entire United Mine Workers pension plan, which covers nearly 90,000 former coal miners and their widows, may become insolvent. [
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Thursday, December 8th, 2016 | Posted by Thom Kay | No Comments
America owes a debt to the nation’s coal miners. The Miners Protection Act would begin to pay that debt, but the opportunity for Congress to pass the bill is quickly slipping away. [
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Wednesday, September 7th, 2016 | Posted by Thom Kay | No Comments
In February, a bill was introduced in Congress that would expedite funding to clean up old coal mining sites and redevelop them specifically to foster economic growth. The RECLAIM Act is now in committee and the language is expected to change a bit in the coming weeks. As Congress considers those changes, lawmakers should look to communities impacted by the coal industry, in Appalachia and across the country, whose perspective is vital to the bill's success.
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Friday, December 18th, 2015 | Posted by Thom Kay | 1 Comment
Today the U.S. Congress passed a spending bill that covers expenditures for agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of the Interior, Department of Labor, and the Appalachian Regional Commission. The spending bill is a big deal for Appalachian Voices and our work. And honestly, it looks pretty darn good.
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Thursday, June 4th, 2015 | Posted by Thom Kay | 1 Comment
It’s rare that Appalachians have their voices heard in Congress. But twice in the past month, residents have had the opportunity to testify about mountaintop removal mining at two different U.S. House hearings. The lesson we learned? Congress does not want to help end mountaintop removal and they’d prefer not to hear about it.
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Monday, April 6th, 2015 | Posted by Thom Kay | 3 Comments
Alex Mooney is newly elected to Congress, from West Virginia's 2nd district. His first bill is a doozie - it would stop a stream protection rule he’s never seen, have drastically different impacts than he thinks, and be written and enforced by an agency whose purpose he doesn’t understand. [
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