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[[Coal dust]] has been a problem for residents of Hampton Roads for decades. Reports in the news range from resident testimonials of the negative effects of the dust, to proposed solutions to mitigate its impact. There have been multiple series of air monitoring studies. Corporate representatives from [[Hampton Roads coal terminal companies|Norfolk Southern and Dominion Terminal Associates]] have denied the problem. [https://www.dailypress.com/2011/07/16/coal-dust-piles-an-issue-for-southeast-newport-news/ Early reporting in this collection (from 2011)] shows politicians describing their desires to change the landscape of coal dust pollution in the area, but taking no action. Several waves of residents have [https://www.pilotonline.com/2017/05/11/coal-dust-gets-an-airing-outside-norfolk-southern-shareholders-meeting/ organized demonstrations], [https://www.wtkr.com/news/newport-news-residents-voice-concerns-about-coal-pollution-in-city-council-meeting city council interventions], public meetings, corporate correspondence and state-level mandates.
== News and Opinion Articles ==
[[File:Daily Press January 27 1985.png|alt=Mrs. Bazemore shows coal dust she cleaned from the inside of her Ridley Circle home in Murry, Coal Dust Causes Concern, Daily Press, January 27, 1985.|thumb|''Daily Press'': Mrs. Louise Bazemore shows coal dust she cleaned from the inside of her Ridley Circle home.<ref>Murry, [[:File:Daily Press 1985 01 27 Page 5.pdf|Coal Dust Causes Concern ]][https://voicesinthedust.org/File:Daily_Press_1985_01_27_Page_5.pdf (Continued from Page C1)], ''Daily Press'', January 27, 1985.</ref>]]
Issues around coal dust pollution have been documented in newspapers and other forms of media for decades. The first mention in the ''Daily Press'' of Newport News appears in 1927, describing the use of sprinklers to "minimize damage and discomfort arising from large quantities of coal dust in the air."<ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1927 11 23 Page 2.pdf|Railroads of Port Adopt Coal Sprinkle: Growing demand for Sprinkled Coal Said to Be Made by Trans-Shippers]], ''Daily Press'', November 23, 1927.</ref> This coverage includes residents' testimonials of the negative effects of coal dust, proposed solutions to mitigate impacts, air monitoring studies such as the [[Tidewater Air Monitoring Evaluation (TAME)]], denials of any problem from corporate representatives, and relevant events such as community-organized events and City Council meetings.


=== Documents ===
== The Meaning of Green ==
The Meaning of Green is an environmental politics podcast produced by Vivian Thompson, a former member of the [[Virginia Air Pollution Control Board]] and [https://www.virginia.edu/ University of Virginia] professor. The podcast has two episodes on coal dust pollution: [https://soundcloud.com/user-889752432/s3-episode-1-coal-dust-is-black Coal Dust Is Black (season 3, episode 1)] and [https://soundcloud.com/user-889752432/s3-episode-2-the-power-game The Power Game (season 3, episode 2)].<ref>Sierra Club Virginia Chapter, [https://www.sierraclub.org/virginia/coal-dust The Meaning of Green Podcast & Coal Dust].</ref> The episodes discuss coal dust issues in Lambert's Point, Norfolk and rural Roda in Virginia's Wise County and feature an interview with Lambert's Point resident and New Virginia Majority activist Carl Poole. Thompson estimates 343 coal cars travel through Lambert's Point each day, a number based on coal export data through the terminal (2018–2022) and government estimates of the tons of coal carried per train car.<ref>Thompson, The Meaning of Green, [https://soundcloud.com/user-889752432/s3-episode-2-the-power-game The Power Game], September 2021.</ref>


* Voorhees, Josh. "Railroads, Utilities Clash Over Dust From Coal Trains." ''New York Times,'' Jan 25, 2010. https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/01/25/25greenwire-railroads-utilities-clash-over-dust-from-coal-55265.html?pagewanted=all
== Coal Blooded ==
* "Coal dust, piles an issue for southeast Newport News." ''Daily Press'', July 16, 2011. https://www.dailypress.com/2011/07/16/coal-dust-piles-an-issue-for-southeast-newport-news/
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrLzrsh5cfk Coal Blooded] is a documentary short film on the impacts of coal dust on Southeast Newport News. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrLzrsh5cfk Coal Blooded] was made by videographer Brandon Davis. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrLzrsh5cfk Coal Blooded] features interviews with former Newport News Mayor Dr. McKinley Price, Southeast Newport News residents and activists Angela Harris and Yugonda Sample-Jones, Asa Townsend from [https://www.hrurbanag.org/ Hampton Roads Urban Agriculture], and [https://cnu.edu/ Christopher Newport University] [https://cnu.edu/people/johnfinn/ Associate Professor Johnny Finn].
* Mayfield, Dave. "Coal dust gets an airing outside Norfolk Southern shareholders meeting." ''Virginian Pilot,'' May 11, 2017. https://www.pilotonline.com/2017/05/11/coal-dust-gets-an-airing-outside-norfolk-southern-shareholders-meeting/
 
* Byrum, Lafeetah. "Why Black Communities are Resisting Coal Pollution in Norfolk." ''New Virginia Majority Blog'', June 24, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20230324221747/https://www.newvirginiamajority.org/why_black_communities_are_resisting_coal_pollution_in_norfolk
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrLzrsh5cfk Coal Blooded] won first prize at the 2023 Richmond Environmental Film Festival.<ref>RVA Environmental Film Festival, [https://rvaeff.org/2023-film-contest 2023 Film Contest], 2023.</ref><ref>Caplan, [https://cnu.edu/news/2023/03/30-luter-a22-davis/ Alum Documentary Wins Top Honor at Film Festival], Christopher Newport Newsroom, March 30, 2023.</ref>
* Hafner, Katherine. "Coal dust has long plagued Norfolk, Newport News. With new $500K grant, Virginia plans to study what’s in the air." ''Virginian Pilot'', September 30, 2020. https://www.pilotonline.com/2020/09/30/coal-dust-has-long-plagued-norfolk-newport-news-with-new-500k-grant-virginia-plans-to-study-whats-in-the-air/
 
* Janney, Josh. "Study aims to test effects of coal dust, but residents are skeptical change will come." ''Virginian Pilot,'' November 3, 2023. https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/11/03/for-decades-coal-dust-has-been-plaguing-newport-news-and-norfolk-communities-residents-are-skeptical-change-will-come/
== Crosswinds ==
* Kirts, Lathaniel. "Opinion: A pastor’s plea to combat coal dust in Newport News and Norfolk." ''Virginian Pilot,'' November 11, 2023. https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/11/11/opinion-a-pastors-plea-to-combat-coal-dust-in-newport-news-and-norfolk/
[[File:Crosswinds Image.png|alt=Crosswinds Image|thumb|300x300px|Crosswinds Image]]
* Hollingsworth, Connor. "Newport News residents voice concerns about coal pollution." ''WTKR'', January 23, 2024. https://www.wtkr.com/news/newport-news-residents-voice-concerns-about-coal-pollution-in-city-council-meeting
[[Repair Lab]] Multimedia Producer Adrian Wood produced and released [https://coaldustkills.wpcomstaging.com/?p=6400 Crosswinds], a five-episode podcast on friendship, justice, evidence, and faith in the fight for clean air in Hampton Roads, Virginia.
*
 
'''Episode 1:''' ''Friendship.'' Malcolm Jones and Lathaniel Kirts are lifelong friends who are teaming up to deal with harmful coal dust that clouds the air in their hometown. The source, coal terminals that together form America's largest coal export system.
 
'''Episode 2:''' ''Change.'' Gentrification of neighborhoods contaminated by coal dust in Southeast Newport News, Virginia may be the leverage needed to push environmental mitigation efforts. But changes can also push residents out of their homes. And people wonder – how will the coal dust affect newcomers to the neighborhood, who may not be aware of the problem?
 
'''Episode 3:''' ''Cost.'' Since the earliest days of railroads in the U.S., Black and poor residents have covered the costs of the coal and rail industries with their health and well-being. It is a tax they pay to wealthy fossil fuel corporations, who continue to escape accountability. This isn't just in Hampton Roads – all along the railroad tracks, from West Virginia to Baltimore, the coal and rail industries displace costs onto neighboring residents.
 
'''Episode 4:''' ''Proof.'' There is a new study that could offer more information on the coal dust in Hampton Roads, Virginia. But will it be enough to reduce coal dust? Doubt hangs in the air. The only thing residents know for sure is they want the coal dust gone.
 
'''Episode 5:''' ''Faith.'' Residents of Hampton Roads are demanding an end to the coal dust after decades of struggle. But the road to environmental justice is long and winding, full of setbacks and switchbacks. What does it mean to have faith that change is possible and that effort is worthwhile?
 
Crosswinds received local and regional media coverage<ref>Virginia Humanities With Good Reason, [https://www.withgoodreasonradio.org/episode/presenting-crosswinds/ Presenting Crosswinds], May 3, 2024.</ref><ref>West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Inside Appalachia, [https://wvpublic.org/the-appalachian-forager-and-crosswinds-inside-appalachia/ The Appalachian Forager and Crosswinds: Downstream Dangers of Coal Dust], May 27, 2024.</ref><ref>WHRO Public Media, [https://www.whro.org/2024-06-20/new-podcast-crosswinds-explores-coal-dust-pollution-in-hampton-roads# New Podcast 'Crosswinds' Explores Coal Dust Pollution in Hampton Roads], June 20, 2024.</ref><ref>Press Gazette, [https://pressgazette.co.uk/press-gazette-events/future-of-media-awards-shortlist-2024/ Future of Media Awards Shortlist 2024], July 11, 2024.</ref><ref>Making Contact from the National Radio Project, [https://www.ivoox.com/en/crosswinds-the-cost-of-coal-audios-mp3_rf_133928097_1.html Crosswinds: The Cost of Coal], September 18, 2024.</ref> and was named to the [https://pressgazette.co.uk/press-gazette-events/future-of-media-awards-shortlist-2024/ Future of Media Awards shortlist 2024].
 
== Documents ==
 
=== News Articles ===
 
* [[:File:Daily Press 1927 11 23 Page 2.pdf|Railroads of Port Adopt Coal Sprinkle: Growing demand for Sprinkled Coal Said to Be Made by Trans-Shippers, ''Daily Press'', November 23, 1927]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1947 12 31 Page 11.pdf|Chronology of Main Local Events in 1947, ''Daily Press'', December 31, 1947]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1954 04 12 Page 3.pdf|Newport News to Analyze Smoke and Soot Nuisance in Garden-Shores Sector, ''Daily Press'', April 4, 1954]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 09 21 Page 3.pdf|Study of Air Pollution Set to Start Soon, ''Daily Press'', September 21, 1956]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 10 04 Page 3.pdf|10 Dust Collection Stations, ''Daily Press'', October 4, 1956]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 11 27 Page 10.pdf|Council, ''Daily Press'', November 27, 1956]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 04 Page 5.pdf|Council, ''Daily Press'', December 4, 1956]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 12 Page 3.pdf|C&O to Install Costly Equipment for Control of Air Pollution in NN, ''Daily Press'', December 12, 1956]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 18 Page 3.pdf|Council Gets Air Pollution Control Plan, ''Daily Press'', December 18, 1956]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1984 04 27 Page 45.pdf|Matthews, Port Authority Trying to Cut Coal Dust at Marine Terminal, ''Daily Press,'' April 27, 1984]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1984 05 05 Page 10.pdf|Dust Covered Apartments (Continued from Page 1), ''Daily Press'', May 5, 1984]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1984 05 24 Page 17.pdf|Matthews, Coal Dust Unsettles Residents: Tenants Group Write Governor, ''Daily Press'', May 24, 1984]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1984 05 24 Page 20.pdf|Water Curtain Being Installed (Continued from Page 17), ''Daily Press'', May 24, 1984]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1985 01 27 Page 39.pdf|Murry, Coal Dust Still Bothers Its Neighbors, ''Daily Press'', January 27, 1985]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1985 01 27 Page 5.pdf|Murry, Coal Dust Causes Concern (Continued from Page C1), ''Daily Press'', January 27, 1985]]
* [https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/01/25/25greenwire-railroads-utilities-clash-over-dust-from-coal-55265.html?pagewanted=all Voorhees, Railroads, Utilities Clash Over Dust From Coal Trains, ''New York Times'', Jan 25, 2010]
* [https://www.dailypress.com/2011/07/16/coal-dust-piles-an-issue-for-southeast-newport-news/ Coal Dust, Piles an Issue for Southeast Newport News, ''Daily Press'', July 16, 2011]
* [[:File:Daily Press 2013 08 01 A3.pdf|Deitrich, Lawsuit Seeks to Stop U.S. Loan Guarantee for Coal Exports, ''Daily Press'', August 1, 2013]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 2015 06 03 A4.pdf|Air (Continued from Page 1), ''Daily Press'', June 3, 2015]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 2015 08 20 A1.pdf|Salasky, EPA Grant Breathes Life into Air Quality Campaign, ''Daily Press'', August 20, 2015]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 2015 08 20 A1.pdf|Clift, Southeast Petition Get 1000 Signatures, ''Daily Press'', October 30, 2015]]
* [https://thenewjournalandguide.com/part-one-coal-dust-lambert-points-invisible-menace/ Colvin, Part One – Coal Dust: Lambert Point’s Invisible Menace, ''The New Journal and Guide'', 2015]
* [https://thenewjournalandguide.com/part-two-coal-dust-invisible-menace/ Colvin, Part Two – Coal Dust: An Invisible Menace, ''The New Journal and Guide'', 2015]
* [[:File:Daily Press 2016 05 06 A6.pdf|Air Quality Workshop, Daily Press, May 6, 2016]]
* [https://www.pilotonline.com/2017/05/11/coal-dust-gets-an-airing-outside-norfolk-southern-shareholders-meeting/ Mayfield, Coal Dust Gets an Airing Outside Norfolk Southern Shareholders Meeting, ''The'' ''Virginian Pilot'', May 11, 2017]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20230324221747/https://www.newvirginiamajority.org/why_black_communities_are_resisting_coal_pollution_in_norfolk Byrum, Why Black Communities are Resisting Coal Pollution in Norfolk, ''New Virginia Majority Blog'', June 24, 2020]
* [https://www.pilotonline.com/2020/09/30/coal-dust-has-long-plagued-norfolk-newport-news-with-new-500k-grant-virginia-plans-to-study-whats-in-the-air/ Hafner, Coal Dust Has Long Plagued Norfolk, Newport News. With New $500K Grant, Virginia Plans to Study What’s in the Air, ''The'' ''Virginian Pilot'', September 30, 2020]
* [https://appvoices.org/2021/01/13/residents-near-trainyard-discuss-coal-dust-study/ Domecq, Residents Near Trainyard Discuss Efforts to Study and Solve Coal Dust Problems, ''The Appalachian Voice,'' January 13, 2021]
* [https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/11/03/for-decades-coal-dust-has-been-plaguing-newport-news-and-norfolk-communities-residents-are-skeptical-change-will-come/ Janney, Study Aims to Test Effects of Coal Dust, but Residents are Skeptical Change Will Come, ''The'' ''Virginian Pilot'', November 3, 2023]
* [https://www.wtkr.com/news/newport-news-residents-voice-concerns-about-coal-pollution-in-city-council-meeting Hollingsworth, Newport News Residents Voice Concerns about Coal Pollution, ''3WTKR'', January 23, 2024]
*[https://www.dailypress.com/2024/01/24/a-dome-in-newport-news-residents-ask-city-to-consider-barriers-for-coal-dust/ Janney, A Dome in Newport News? Residents Ask City to Consider Barriers for Coal Dust, ''Daily Press'', January 24, 2024]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20240601000000*/https://whro.org/news/local-news/45928-stricter-new-federal-air-pollution-standards-likely-won-t-help-hampton-roads-communities-long-plagued-by-coal-dust Hafner, Stricter Federal Air Pollution Standards Likely Won't Help Hampton Roads Communities Plagued by Coal Dust, ''WHRO'', March 22, 2024]
*[https://www.wtkr.com/news/in-the-community/newport-news/newport-news-residents-say-coal-dust-is-the-source-of-some-health-problems Saitta, Newport News Residents Say Coal Dust is the Source of Some Health Problems, ''WTKR'', April 20, 2024]
 
=== Opinion Articles ===
 
* [https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/11/11/opinion-a-pastors-plea-to-combat-coal-dust-in-newport-news-and-norfolk/ Kirts, Opinion: A Pastor's Plea to Combat Coal Dust in Newport News and Norfolk, ''Virginian Pilot,'' November 11, 2023]
 
=== Multimedia ===
 
* [https://soundcloud.com/user-889752432/s3-episode-1-coal-dust-is-black Thompson, The Meaning of Green, Coal Dust is Black, August 2021]
* [https://soundcloud.com/user-889752432/s3-episode-2-the-power-game Thompson, The Meaning of Green, The Power Game, September 2021]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrLzrsh5cfk Davis, Coal Blooded, 2022]
* [https://coaldustkills.wpcomstaging.com/?p=6400 Wood, Crosswinds, 2024]
 
== References ==

Latest revision as of 04:05, 5 June 2025

News and Opinion Articles

Mrs. Bazemore shows coal dust she cleaned from the inside of her Ridley Circle home in Murry, Coal Dust Causes Concern, Daily Press, January 27, 1985.
Daily Press: Mrs. Louise Bazemore shows coal dust she cleaned from the inside of her Ridley Circle home.[1]

Issues around coal dust pollution have been documented in newspapers and other forms of media for decades. The first mention in the Daily Press of Newport News appears in 1927, describing the use of sprinklers to "minimize damage and discomfort arising from large quantities of coal dust in the air."[2] This coverage includes residents' testimonials of the negative effects of coal dust, proposed solutions to mitigate impacts, air monitoring studies such as the Tidewater Air Monitoring Evaluation (TAME), denials of any problem from corporate representatives, and relevant events such as community-organized events and City Council meetings.

The Meaning of Green

The Meaning of Green is an environmental politics podcast produced by Vivian Thompson, a former member of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board and University of Virginia professor. The podcast has two episodes on coal dust pollution: Coal Dust Is Black (season 3, episode 1) and The Power Game (season 3, episode 2).[3] The episodes discuss coal dust issues in Lambert's Point, Norfolk and rural Roda in Virginia's Wise County and feature an interview with Lambert's Point resident and New Virginia Majority activist Carl Poole. Thompson estimates 343 coal cars travel through Lambert's Point each day, a number based on coal export data through the terminal (2018–2022) and government estimates of the tons of coal carried per train car.[4]

Coal Blooded

Coal Blooded is a documentary short film on the impacts of coal dust on Southeast Newport News. Coal Blooded was made by videographer Brandon Davis. Coal Blooded features interviews with former Newport News Mayor Dr. McKinley Price, Southeast Newport News residents and activists Angela Harris and Yugonda Sample-Jones, Asa Townsend from Hampton Roads Urban Agriculture, and Christopher Newport University Associate Professor Johnny Finn.

Coal Blooded won first prize at the 2023 Richmond Environmental Film Festival.[5][6]

Crosswinds

Crosswinds Image
Crosswinds Image

Repair Lab Multimedia Producer Adrian Wood produced and released Crosswinds, a five-episode podcast on friendship, justice, evidence, and faith in the fight for clean air in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Episode 1: Friendship. Malcolm Jones and Lathaniel Kirts are lifelong friends who are teaming up to deal with harmful coal dust that clouds the air in their hometown. The source, coal terminals that together form America's largest coal export system.

Episode 2: Change. Gentrification of neighborhoods contaminated by coal dust in Southeast Newport News, Virginia may be the leverage needed to push environmental mitigation efforts. But changes can also push residents out of their homes. And people wonder – how will the coal dust affect newcomers to the neighborhood, who may not be aware of the problem?

Episode 3: Cost. Since the earliest days of railroads in the U.S., Black and poor residents have covered the costs of the coal and rail industries with their health and well-being. It is a tax they pay to wealthy fossil fuel corporations, who continue to escape accountability. This isn't just in Hampton Roads – all along the railroad tracks, from West Virginia to Baltimore, the coal and rail industries displace costs onto neighboring residents.

Episode 4: Proof. There is a new study that could offer more information on the coal dust in Hampton Roads, Virginia. But will it be enough to reduce coal dust? Doubt hangs in the air. The only thing residents know for sure is they want the coal dust gone.

Episode 5: Faith. Residents of Hampton Roads are demanding an end to the coal dust after decades of struggle. But the road to environmental justice is long and winding, full of setbacks and switchbacks. What does it mean to have faith that change is possible and that effort is worthwhile?

Crosswinds received local and regional media coverage[7][8][9][10][11] and was named to the Future of Media Awards shortlist 2024.

Documents

News Articles

Opinion Articles

Multimedia

References

  1. ↑ Murry, Coal Dust Causes Concern (Continued from Page C1), Daily Press, January 27, 1985.
  2. ↑ Railroads of Port Adopt Coal Sprinkle: Growing demand for Sprinkled Coal Said to Be Made by Trans-Shippers, Daily Press, November 23, 1927.
  3. ↑ Sierra Club Virginia Chapter, The Meaning of Green Podcast & Coal Dust.
  4. ↑ Thompson, The Meaning of Green, The Power Game, September 2021.
  5. ↑ RVA Environmental Film Festival, 2023 Film Contest, 2023.
  6. ↑ Caplan, Alum Documentary Wins Top Honor at Film Festival, Christopher Newport Newsroom, March 30, 2023.
  7. ↑ Virginia Humanities With Good Reason, Presenting Crosswinds, May 3, 2024.
  8. ↑ West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Inside Appalachia, The Appalachian Forager and Crosswinds: Downstream Dangers of Coal Dust, May 27, 2024.
  9. ↑ WHRO Public Media, New Podcast 'Crosswinds' Explores Coal Dust Pollution in Hampton Roads, June 20, 2024.
  10. ↑ Press Gazette, Future of Media Awards Shortlist 2024, July 11, 2024.
  11. ↑ Making Contact from the National Radio Project, Crosswinds: The Cost of Coal, September 18, 2024.
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