Coal Impoundment Resources
Federal Government Agencies
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement: The OSMRE, a division of the Department of the Interior, maintains an extensive list of coal impoundment resources—including reports, regulations, and other government documents.
MSHA Dam Safety Web Page: This site contains information about the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration regulations on mine-related dams, including coal impoundments. This includes technical details about dams, dam safety program contacts, and the regulations regarding dams.
MSHA Technical Information Center and Library: This site allows users to search the MSHA Technical Information Center and Library for archival material about coal impoundments and other mine safety issues.
Local Organizations in Appalachia
Several local groups in Appalachia have organized around issues related to environmental inequality and coal waste.
Coal River Mountain Watch: Based in Naoma, W.V., Coal River Mountain Watch has organized local residents around issues related to coal waste.
Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition: The OVEC is another organization that has shown interest in issues around coal waste impoundments and other environmental justice issues related to resource extraction in Appalachia.
Information on Public Records Requests
I describe the methods used to obtain the data used in this project in an article published in Social Currents. These sites are useful for learning more about the process of filing public records requests:
The National Freedom of Information Coalition: The NFOIC has many resources for journalists, researchers, and other members of the public interested in obtaining government data and information. For example, they provide letter templates for the federal government and all 50 states.
MuckRock: MuckRock is a non-profit website that provides numerous examples of public records requests and assists users with filing requests for a small fee.
