RECLAIM Act – Release $1B to Help Coalfield Communities

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Restore land and economies in communities harmed by our energy sector’s transition away from coal

 

Contact your US Senators during April’s

Climate Justice Month

(Mail your congregation’s letters to arrive on or before May 4 – for mailing address and instructions link here)– Ask Senators to support the RECLAIM Act 2017, which would release $1B for reclamation and restoration of land and water resources of existing funds. We urge inclusion of provisions in the bill for community involvement for economic diversification planning in coal communities that are in transition. This Act has bi-partisan support but has stalled. 

Page Contents – Click on a title to go to that section:

Action Needed: What You Can Do

1 – Write letters to your Senators during UU Climate Justice Month April 2018

Use our Write Here! Write Now! (WHWN) Letter-Writing Toolkit to organize a letter-writing table in your congregation for letters to be delivered to SENATE offices in Washington, DC on May 8. Send letters to arrive on or before May 4. Contact advocacy@uusj.org for details. 

Downloadable WHWN letter-writing campaign resources:

2 – Call or email your Senators

Suggested message to adapt for calling or emailing your Senators:

Hi, my name is [your name]. I’m a constituent from [city, state]. I am a Unitarian Universalist from [name of congregation and location].
I urge Senator [name] to support the bi-partisan RECLAIM Act, which will release existing funds from the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Fund at no cost to taxpayers. We have a moral obligation to ensure that coal states and Indian tribes that are most impacted by massive loss of coal-mining jobs have the funds they need to restore their land and water resources. In additional the the bill should provide provisions for community involvement in economic diversification to create a more sustainable economy.   
[Insert personal experience, story, concern, or pick a talking point (page 2), stated in your own words, to support the message.]
[Insert personal wrap up statement and a “thank you” such as “This important bill could help struggling communities recover.” If it’s a phone call ask for the Senator’s position on the Act; if it’s an email ask the Senator to let you know what her/his position is on the RECLAIM Act.] 
Closing: [by email Sincerely, YOUR NAME and COMPLETE ADDRESS; by phone thank the staff person]

U.S. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121

To find e-mail addresses and other contact information for your members of Congress, visit these Congressional websites:

3 – Ask your friends and family members to contact their Senators, too.

Send them the link to this page – https://bit.ly/2GVL0y9

4 – Spread the word – Post messages to social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).

Post links to this page – https://bit.ly/2GVL0y9

Tweet your Senators (click here to find their Twitter handles). Here’s a sample Tweet:

@(Senator’s Twitter Handle) Support the RECLAIM Act. #JustTransitions #BeyondCoal #NoNewCoal #ClimateJustice #EachGeneration

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What You Should Know

For more information, see the UUSJ sample message to Senators and talking points.

The RECLAIM Act (Revitalizing the Economy of Coal Communities by Leveraging Local Activities and Investing More) is a vital piece of legislation for communities devastated by the economic decline of the coal industry. One billion dollars will come from the existing Abandoned Land Mine (ALM) Fund.

The RECLAIM Act Status:

The 2018 Omnibus budget signed by President Trump on March 23 excluded the RECLAIM Act. It was removed with pressure from the coal industry.  

This is a bi-partisan effort with similar bills in the House (HR 1731) and two bills in the Senate (S 728 Sen. McConnell R-KY) and (S 738 Sen Manchin D-WV). The House bill (more than 40 bi-partisan co-sponsors), sponsored by Rep. Hal Rogers (KY-5), with an amendment by Democrat Rep. Don Beyer (VA-8), that allows provisions for community involvement in economic diversification planning, is stronger than the original companion bill in the Senate (S 728, sponsored by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) with  one co-sponsor Sen. Capito (R-WV). With the Beyer amendment, the House version supports “Just Transitions” that allows for communities to have a say in building a sustainable economic that is not dependent on coal. Sen. McConnell has said that if the House bill comes to the Senate he would move it forward.  

The bills have stalled and we want to bring attention to the Senate members that they need to act on this vital bill in a timely manner. People are hurting and need these funds. We want the bill to come to a vote in both houses of Congress. We want to urge Senators to support a bill that includes provisions for community involvement in economic diversification in addition to the funds for reclamation. 

About the RECLAIM Act 2017:

  • The RECLAIM Act funds are available to 25 coalfield states and three Indian tribes. The funds especially brings hope for real help to to the Appalachian coalfield communities most in need of economic revitalization after mass layoffs. The Appalachian Regional Commission 2010-2014 poverty rate in the combined Appalachian regions of Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia is 4 percent higher than the national average.
  • Community engagement is essential. In addition to cleaning up abandoned mine sites, the funds can spur long-term economic growth in agriculture, energy, industrial parks, and recreational tourism, to put people back to work in jobs wanted and supported by the community. As in the House version, any bill should allow for provisions for a “Just Transition” for communities to make decisions about economic diversification leading to a transition to a more sustainable economy that is not dependent on extractive industry.
  • There is significant public support in communities for this bill. Public Opinion Strategies, a leading Republican polling firm, reported that 89% of registered voters in Appalachia support the RECLAIM Act.
  • Not one cent of taxpayer funds would be used — The bill calls for $1B of existing $24B in the fund to be disbursed rather than sitting in Washington. 

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Our UU Spiritual Grounding

UU Grounding: UUs believe each person should have the opportunity to reach his or her potential. Our Seventh Principle calls for “respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” Our 2017 Statement of Conscience on Escalating Economic Inequity calls for support to economically struggling communities, especially those that have been harmed by exploitation and unwise policies.

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Resources and Relevant News Media Coverage Links

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