Week in Washington
Week in Washington report from KFTC delegation
A group of KFTC members, along with about 35 fellow Appalachians, made their voices heard in the fight against mountaintop removal mining at the 8th annual Week in Washington. Alliance members were joined by more than 40 allies from across the country.
Rally at EPA focuses on the value of clean water
KFTC members were among the crowd that rallied Wednesday in front of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency headquarters in Washington, DC, calling for an end to mountaintop removal and protection of the region’s water.
Residents of Central Appalachian states brought with them more than 100 gallons of brown, black and red water that have been collected from water sources in Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky.
“Sometimes the water runs orange, and you wouldn't want to touch it, much less drink it. But what’s more dangerous is when toxic water from your tap looks and smells totally fine. People sometimes drink it for years without knowing that they’re drinking toxic water and that’s what’s making them sick,” said Josh May of Magoffin County, a member of STAY (Stay Together Appalachian Youth) and KFTC. “We are bringing this water to the EPA as a way of holding them accountable. We’re having them sign for it so that they can formally acknowledge the problems that we’re living with everyday in the mountains."
National Day of Action to End Mountaintop Removal
Part of the Week in Washington coordinated by the Alliance for Appalachia. Rally is in front of the U.S. EPA headquarters (1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC).
Week in Washington
KFTC members take part in the Week in Washington, an annual event organized by the Alliance for Appalachia, bringing together citizens from the Appalachian region and across the nation who care deeply about mountains, clean water and social justice. This year, we are ramping up pressure on federal agencies to push the U.S.
Building a climate movement here at home
Matt Wasson makes a powerful case for organizing around issues of climate, clean energy, and an economic transition in the mountain counties of Central Appalachia. He argues, "We also need a ground game in the remote corners of swing states where national elections are won and lost, where campaign narratives are targeted and where climate activists rarely tread."
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