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The document presents a series of quotes from representatives of Earthjustice, the Montana Sierra Club, and local community groups opposing proposed legislative changes to coal leasing. The critics argue that the provisions would reduce royalty rates for the government, fast-track permits by removing public comment opportunities, and provide a 'giveaway' to the coal industry while exacerbating water pollution, air pollution, and public health risks, particularly in Montana.

This fact sheet by Earthjustice opposes Senate Bill S.1751, claiming it undermines federal oversight of coal ash disposal and poses significant risks to public health. The document argues that the bill is weaker than existing RCRA subtitle D regulations for household waste, fails to prevent catastrophic dam failures, and discourages the recycling of coal ash by allowing the indefinite operation of 676 ash ponds. It highlights the toxicity of coal ash—noting cancer risks 2,000 times the EPA's regulatory goal in some areas—and cites a Tufts University study suggesting a stronger EPA rule could have generated 28,000 jobs.

The document contends that S.2446 protects utility companies rather than the public by eliminating federal standards for drinking water protection, prohibiting the siting of coal ash dumps in floodplains, and delaying the closure of structurally unsound impoundments. It asserts that the bill removes critical EPA oversight and financial assurance requirements, potentially shifting the cost of toxic spills to taxpayers. The text highlights that coal ash contains harmful chemicals like arsenic and mercury, and that nearly 70% of coal ash lagoons affect low-income and minority communities.

Texas ranks second in the US for coal ash generation, producing 12.2 million tons annually. The state's disposal infrastructure is characterized by a lack of groundwater monitoring and inadequate lining in most ponds and landfills. This has led to documented contamination of groundwater and reservoirs with selenium, arsenic, and molybdenum, as well as structural failures in dams. Texas regulations are described as among the worst in the nation due to broad exemptions for on-site disposal and beneficial reuse, such as mine-filling.

The report documents widespread groundwater and surface water contamination in Virginia caused by coal ash ponds and landfills, highlighting critical failures in state regulatory oversight. It identifies specific high-risk 'significant hazard' dams and contaminated sites across the Commonwealth, noting that 76% of these facilities are located in low-income communities or communities of color. The authors argue that current Virginia regulations are inadequate—failing to mandate liners or consistent groundwater monitoring—and urge the state to adopt the more stringent 2014 EPA coal ash rule while opposing H.R. 1734, a federal bill that would weaken those protections.

West Virginia ranks 4th in the U.S. for coal ash generation, producing over 7.2 million tons annually. The state's disposal infrastructure is characterized by aging, often unlined ponds with significant safety hazards and documented water contamination. The document argues that West Virginia's regulatory framework is deficient, failing to require basic safeguards, regular state inspections, groundwater monitoring, or financial assurances for cleanup.

Earthjustice argues that hydraulic fracturing (fracking) poses grave and irreversible risks to human health and the environment, citing extensive evidence from the United States. The organization contends that the Government of Mendoza's Decree No. 248/18 was issued without sufficient technical research or baseline data, violating the precautionary principle. Earthjustice requests the court to nullify the decree and suspend fracking activities until comprehensive scientific studies on air pollution, water contamination, radioactive waste, and induced seismicity are conducted.

The document describes coal ash as a toxic industrial waste stream containing carcinogens and neurotoxins that contaminate air, soil, and water when improperly managed. It evaluates various disposal methods, identifying unlined surface impoundments as the most hazardous and encapsulated reuse in concrete or gypsum as the safest. The guide outlines specific technical standards for landfills and ponds—including impermeable liners, groundwater monitoring, and siting prohibitions—and argues for enforceable, site-specific permits and financial assurance to ensure long-term remediation.

The report documents a systemic 'environment of fear' in South Africa's mining regions, where activists facing environmental and social harms from mining are targeted with physical violence, death threats, and legal harassment. It highlights the failure of the South African government to protect these defenders and the role of municipalities in imposing extra-legal restrictions on peaceful assembly. The document also details the use of SLAPP suits and social media attacks by mining companies to silence opposition, while noting the severe environmental and health costs of mining, including water pollution and respiratory diseases.

The document provides a technical overview of shale gas and oil extraction, focusing on hydraulic fracturing (fracking). It details drilling methods such as vertical, horizontal, and rotary drilling, and explains the composition of fracking fluids, including the use of water, surfactants, and biocides. Additionally, it describes wellbore casing for aquifer protection and the processes of venting and flaring of natural gas.

The Mississippi River Restoration & Resilience Initiative (MRRRI) is proposed as a federal framework to address ecological decline, flood vulnerability, and pollution in the Mississippi River basin. Modeled after the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, MRRRI would direct the EPA to collaborate with states, tribal nations, and local governments to implement an action plan focused on reducing runoff pollution, managing flood risks, and restoring wildlife habitats. The proposal highlights the economic importance of the river, which supports a $500 billion-a-year economy and 1.5 million jobs, while noting that inaction leaves communities—particularly low-income, rural, and Indigenous populations—vulnerable to environmental and financial risks.

The document highlights the 'corporate impunity' of global companies, citing examples of environmental destruction and human rights violations in Nigeria, Colombia, and El Salvador. It argues that voluntary corporate responsibility codes are insufficient and that existing international agreements, such as investor-to-state dispute settlement (ISDS) processes, protect corporate profits over human rights. The text advocates for a binding UN treaty to close the gap in international law regarding cross-border corporate activities.

The fact sheet advocates for a legally binding international treaty to end corporate impunity, arguing that voluntary self-regulation is ineffective. It highlights severe environmental and social damages caused by transnational corporations in Nigeria, Colombia, Brazil, Mozambique, and El Salvador, specifically citing oil extraction, mining, and palm oil production as drivers of human rights violations and ecological destruction.

The report critiques the role of international financial institutions and multinational corporations in promoting water privatization, highlighting resulting price hikes and environmental degradation. It documents specific cases of 'water wars' and corporate lawsuits in Bolivia, pollution in Indonesia and Peru, and the ecological impact of dams in France and Norway, while proposing community-led, sustainable alternatives.

The report examines the tension between the economic benefits of small-scale mining (ASM) and its severe environmental and social costs in Ghana. While ASM provides livelihoods for approximately one million people and supports community infrastructure, the majority operate illegally as 'galamsey' due to bureaucratic licensing hurdles. The research highlights extreme environmental degradation, including river pollution and deforestation, often exacerbated by mechanized operations introduced by foreign nationals. It argues against a blanket ban, suggesting instead a decentralized, cooperative-based formalization process supported by a special environmental tax and improved state monitoring.

The report details how nickel mining by companies like Marcventures in Surigao del Sur, Philippines, has led to severe environmental degradation, including the pollution of critical watersheds and the destruction of livelihoods for farmers and fisherfolk. It argues that these operations are enabled by 'political capture' and corruption involving powerful dynasties, specifically naming Martin Romualdez as a beneficial owner of Marcventures. The document further links this local destruction to the global demand for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, suggesting that nickel from these mines likely enters the supply chains of major manufacturers such as Tesla and Volkswagen. It concludes by advocating for mandatory due diligence legislation in the EU to hold multinational corporations accountable for human rights and environmental harms in their value chains.

The Cerrejón coal mine in Colombia, owned by BHP, Anglo-American, and Glencore, is accused of severe human rights and environmental violations, including forced evictions, water contamination, and health crises. Global Witness argues that the mine's owners and their European links demonstrate a systemic lack of corporate accountability, advocating for new EU legislation to make companies liable for harms caused in their global supply chains.

Global Witness reports that Veolia has been secretly filming and testing sediment at a Colombian landfill site, finding mercury levels 25 times above safe limits. The report alleges that untreated leachate is being pumped into wetlands that provide drinking water to hundreds of thousands of people in Barrancabermeja. While Veolia denies causality and claims its internal monitoring shows no mercury, expert analysis suggests the company's testing was insufficient. The report also highlights the danger faced by environmental defenders in the region and argues for the strength of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive to hold such companies accountable.

Global Witness reports that heavy rare earth mining has exploded in Myanmar's Kachin Special Region 1, driven by China's need to offshore its polluting mining industry. The process, primarily in-situ leaching, causes severe environmental degradation, including water poisoning and deforestation, while funding militias affiliated with Myanmar's military regime. These minerals, specifically dysprosium and terbium, are critical for permanent magnets used in electric vehicles and wind turbines, linking global green energy goals to human rights abuses and ecological collapse in Myanmar.

Global Witness reports that illegal heavy rare earth mining in Myanmar's Kachin Special Region 1 is surging to meet global demand for electric vehicles and wind turbines. The process, driven by Chinese investment and controlled by militias linked to the Myanmar military, causes severe environmental damage, including water poisoning and deforestation. These minerals are primarily exported to Chinese state-owned enterprises, which then supply global manufacturers of permanent magnets.