New Virginia Majority
Overview
New Virginia Majority is a civic engagement organization focused on "build[ing] power in working-class communities of color across the Commonwealth." New Virginia Majority was founded in 2007 to increase political participation and voting among immigrants, communities of color, women, low-income working people, and youth.
New Virginia Majority has worked on coal dust issues in Lambert's Point, led by Mr. Carl Poole.[1] Environmental justice is one priority area for the organization.
New Virginia Majority Environmental Justice Platform: "We believe that communities should be informed of and have the power to make decisions about environmental policies, projects, and practices that impact their health and daily lives, and have access to workforce training and education for the green jobs of tomorrow. We support legislation that will:
- Move us towards an equitable 100% clean and renewable energy plan.
- Ensure that the state adopts formalized processes to analyze and address the environmental and public health impacts of policies and projects and provide meaningful opportunities for community accountability.
- Provide targeted support for low-income individuals and people of color to obtain credentials, post-secondary education, or workforce training in environmental, renewable energy, or related fields.
- Ensure a just transition and utilize the Environmental Protection Agency's definition of environmental justice."[2]
Cover the Coal
In 2017, Lambert's Point residents, New Virginia Majority, and the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter publicly called for Norfolk Southern to cover coal-filled railcars to reduce coal dust pollution.
In 2017, New Virginia Majority held rallies outside of Norfolk Southern's shareholder meeting and sent letters requesting a meeting Norfolk Southern CEO James Squires. When Squires declines, New Virginia Majority developed the "Where Is Squires?" campaign to increase public pressure on Squires to meet with the community.[3]
Norfolk Southern has refused to meet with community members and address coal dust pollution with infrastructure like railcar covers, arguing it is too expensive and that coal dust is not a problem.
Virginia Council on Environmental Justice (VACEJ)
In 2015, New Virginia Majority joined the Southeast CARE Coalition, Appalachian Voices, Virginia Interfaith Power and Light, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, Mothers Out Front, Moms Clean Air Force, Sierra Club Virginia Chapter, Virginia Conservation Network, Virginia Organizing, and employees at the University of Richmond partnered to form the Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative (VEJC) with the goals of coordinating and bolstering environmental justice efforts across Virginia.
In 2017, VEJC submitted a formal proposal for a state-level environmental justice advisory body as part of the public comment period for Executive Order (EO) 57. The VEJC was successful, and their proposal led to the creation of the Governor's Environmental Justice Advisory Council, through Executive Order 73 by Governor Terry McAuliffe, now known as the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice (VACEJ). The VEJC's proposal highlighted the work of the Southeast CARE Coalition and the issue of coal dust pollution in Southeast Newport News specifically.[4]
EPA Petition
In 2023, New Virginia Majority and the Sierra Club joined a petition to the EPA submitted by Public Justice and Appalachian Mountain Advocates. The petition requested new rulemaking to establish a U.S.-wide NPDES permit "regulating the discharge of coal and other coal-related pollutants to navigable waters from uncovered railcars."
The petition followed a decision by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) in 2020 that uncovered railcars, including those carrying coal, could not be regulated on a state-by-state basis under the NPDES permitting program, as railroads cross state lines.
The petition included testimony from residents and other experts, research, and photographic evidence that coal from uncovered railcars was being lifted into air through turbulent air movement generated by the train vibrations during travel, even when coal loads were sprayed with chemical sealants, and that airborne coal deposited in waterways near train tracks and under bridges. The argument was that coal dust deposited into waters and reduced water quality.
The petition mentions coal dust pollution in Lambert's Point although not Southeast Newport News.
Documents
Media
- Neighbors Complain of Coal Dust, Danville Register and Bee, April 25, 2015
- Barksdale, How a Devastating Air Pollution Problem Created a Black Activist-Led Movement in a Virginia Town, Vice, October 11, 2017
- Geiling, 'This is a matter of life and death': A Virginia community choking on coal dust pleads for help, Think Progress, March 15, 2018
- Harrison, 'We need serious help': Lambert's Point Community Says Coal Dust Is Endangering Their Lives, 13 News Now, November 6, 2023
- Gaffney, Coal Dust Is Blowin’ in the Wind: That Black Stuff Spilling off Railcars Is a Threat to Public Health and Waterways across the United States, Sierra, September 26, 2023
Other Documents
- Establishment of an Advisory Council on Environmental Justice, Virginia Governor's Office, Executive Order 73, 2017
- Petition For Rulemaking: To Establish Nationwide National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit for Uncovered Railcars Transporting Coal Pursuant to 33 U.S.C. § 1342(A), 2023
- Carl Poole, Interviewed by Adrian Wood, Audio | Transcript, July 1, 2023
References
- ↑ Carl Poole, Interviewed by Adrian Wood, Audio | Transcript, July 1, 2023.
- ↑ Environmental Justice, New Virginia Majority, Undated.
- ↑ Barksdale, How a Devastating Air Pollution Problem Created a Black Activist-Led Movement in a Virginia Town, Vice, October 11, 2017.
- ↑ Carbon Reduction Strategies and Environmental Justice in Virginia, Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative, EO 57 Working Group Meeting, February 28, 2017.