By Olivia Miller, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy

Earlier in June, the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy traveled to Capitol Hill with our friends at the Alliance for Appalachia, determined to speak truth to power and demand a better, healthier future for our communities. We spent a week walking through congressional offices, sharing stories and struggles from Appalachia, and reminding lawmakers what’s truly at stake. 

The Alliance for Appalachia is a coalition of 18 member organizations who works to fight the devastating impacts of resource extraction and push for genuine change across our region. It was energizing to stand side by side with activists who live these battles every day. 

One unforgettable highlight was hearing from members of the Appalachian Rekindling Project, an Indigenous, woman-led collective. In easter Kentucky, they’re reclaiming and restoring land devastated by mountaintop removal mining, building a space where Indigenous communities can gather, heal, and reconnect. Recently, they bought 63 acres within the boundaries of a proposed federal prison site (the Letcher County Prison)—taking back land marked for incarceration and destruction and instead creating a place of renewal. This year, they’ll rewild the land with native plants and animals, including bison, turning scars of extraction into symbols of resilience. We joined their call urging legislators to halt federal funds for the prison and support community-centered alternatives instead. 

Throughout the week, our coalition pushed Congress to take meaningful action on multiple critical fronts: 

We urged lawmakers to cosponsor the Environmental Justice for All Act, a bill designed to protect communities long burdened by pollution and environmental neglect. Appalachia has suffered deeply from coal extraction and related health crises, and this Act would strengthen protections, boost funding, and give communities a stronger voice in environmental decisions. 

We advocated for the Appalachian Communities Health Equity (ACHE) Act, which would put a moratorium on mountaintop removal permits until a comprehensive federal health study is conducted. Mountaintop removal mining has been directly linked to disproportionately high rates of cancer, lung disease, and chronic illness in coalfield communities—especially in West Virginia. 

We also championed the Zombie Mine Prevention Package, a group of bills addressing dangerous abandoned mines that continue harming Appalachia with polluted water, flooding, and environmental degradation. These bills would hold coal companies accountable, ensuring proper cleanup and lasting community protection. 

We met with staffers from Senator Justice, Senator Capito, Representative Moore, and Representative Miller, pressing them to safeguard our cherished public lands. We urged them to oppose any attempts to sell off public lands and instead support the Public Lands in Public Hands Act of 2025. This act, introduced by Rep. Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico, would require Congressional approval for significant transfers of public lands, ensuring these critical natural resources remain protected for future generations. 

Additionally, we highlighted urgent threats from recent executive orders that could open national forests, like our beloved Monongahela National Forest, to increased mining and logging. The Monongahela provides clean water, wildlife habitat, and sustains a thriving outdoor economy. We made it clear—these forests must be protected, not exploited. 

One of the most sobering discussions centered around the water crisis gripping West Virginia’s southern coalfields. Caitlin Ware, co-founder of From Below: Rising Together for Coalfield Justice, showed powerful images to congressional staffers of contaminated, discolored water coming from taps throughout the region. Many residents rely entirely on bottled water or springs, often at significant expense and hardship. We demanded immediate federal action to address this crisis, which has been shamefully overlooked by state and federal leaders for far too long. 

With our partners—WV Rivers Coalition, WV Citizens Action Group, Friends of Blackwater, and From Below—we delivered a unified and clear message: West Virginia deserves better. 

Returning home from D.C., I feel inspired and grateful for the strength of our collective voices. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with more than 40 Appalachian advocates reaffirmed that our shared commitment to justice, clean water, and a sustainable future is what makes us powerful. As Mother Jones famously said, “There is no peace in West Virginia because there is no justice in West Virginia.” We carry her words and determination forward, knowing this fight continues, but also knowing we’re stronger together. 

The fight goes on. Learn more about the Alliance for Appalachia and support their work at: theallianceforappalachia.org.