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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab
@coaldustkills.bsky.social
130 followers 370 following 44 posts
We are a network of advocates, artists and scholars intervening in coal dust air pollution in Hampton Roads, Virginia. #newportnews #norfolk #coaldustkills coaldustkills.com
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Dec 17
Got Dust? We Want to Test It!
We’re researching the impact of coal dust in Southeast Newport News and Lambert’s Point to push for changes that will cut down on coal pollution— and we need your help!

2 Ways to Get Involved:
Got Dust? We Want to Test It! We’re researching the impact of coal dust in Southeast Newport News and Lambert’s Point to push for changes that will cut down on coal pollution— and we need your help! 2 Ways to Get Involved: Test the Dust. We’re collecting dust from homes and neighborhood buildings to see if it contains coal. Our tests will look for specific metals that come from coal dust 2. Tell Your Story! We’re interviewing community members to learn how coal dust affects your daily life and what changes you'd like to see. Your voice matters! Let's tackle coal dust together! 1. Dust Testing. We’ll visit your home twice for about an hour each time (scheduled when it’s best for you!). As a thank you, we offer your household $100 in gift cards. 2. Share Your Story. Interviews are voluntary and uncompensated—but your experience can help drive real change. Ready to participate or learn more? Visit coaldustkills.com, or give us a call or text at 757.317.0356 Participants must be 18 years or older University of Virginia IRB-SBS 7086 Principal Investigator Sally Pusede
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Jul 30
NORFOLK: Come kick it with us Saturday 1-4 at Colley Community Center. This is a time to share your story, connect with the movement, ask questions and hang (: #757 #nfk #environmentaljustice #coaldustkills
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · May 27
Save the date! June 28, 4-7 at King-Lincoln Park – we are co-hosting a FREE community concert with @EmPowerAllVA. There will be live music @thereal5starr and a panel. Come get connected to the movement for clean air in Newport News!

#coaldustkills #iheartnn #environmentaljustice #freemusic
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · May 21
2410 Wickham Ave, Newport News, VA
#coaldustkills #downinggross #iheartnn #environmentaljustice #eastendnewportnews
ID: A close-up photo shows visible clumps of black coal dust in a windowsill.
coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · May 21
Come learn about solutions to coal dust pollution at “Evidence: Coal Dust in Hampton Roads,” a public exhibition at Downing-Gross Cultural Center in Newport News.
Opening reception June 12, 5pm with a civic engagement training by EmPowerAll 5:30-7:30pm.
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · May 21
Some residents of East End won’t open their windows even on hot days to avoid the coal dust carried by wind. It’s not just unpleasant – it’s dangerous in a neighborhood with a dangerously high heat index.
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · May 8
“Evidence: Coal Dust in Hampton Roads” gathers stories from residents to show the effects of coal dust on daily life. Come join us for the reception June 12, 5pm with a civic engagement training by EmPowerAll at 5:30-7:30.
A close-up photograph of window blinds shows them coated in coal dust.
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · May 8
People who have lived in East End for a long time are familiar with the sight: fine black dust coating window blinds, even after they’ve just been cleaned.
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · May 6
Opens June 12, 2025 with a reception at 5pm and civic engagement training by EmPowerAll at 5:30-7:30pm.
Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center
2410 Wickham Ave, Newport News, VA
#coaldustkills #downinggross #iheartnn #environmentaljustice #eastendnewportnews
A brown hand shows fingertips dusted with sparkly coal dust. The background is bright red. Text on the image matches what is above in the body text.
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · May 6
Wondering what we’ve been up to? The public exhibition “Evidence: Coal Dust in Hampton Roads” will show data we’ve gathered, stories we’ve collected and photographs we’ve made of coal dust in Hampton Roads. Come see and hear for yourself the connection between coal dust and quality of life.
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Apr 16
Yes! Our podcast CROSSWINDS is out on Youtube! www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

#environmentaljustice #environmentalracism #cleanair #iheartnn
The Repair Lab - YouTube
The Repair Lab presents documentary series that explore environmental justice issues, where climate change and racial justice meet.
www.youtube.com
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Apr 11
Still getting used to being on bluesky! Who are our followers? Tell me about yourself in the comments or a dm (: Let's chat.
coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Feb 5
www.wavy.com/news/local-n...
Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones responds following Trump anti-DEI policy taking aim at ‘environmental justice’
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – People who live near a chemical container yard, shipyard or coal terminal could see impacts on their health thanks to a new policy from President Trump. From day one,…
www.wavy.com
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Feb 3
Our team members worked on this study about air pollution inequities due to CAFOS (Controlled Animal Feeding Operations) in North Carolina.

www.eurekalert.org/news-release...

#environmentaljustice
University of Virginia study reveals air pollution inequities linked to industrial swine facilities are detectable from space
A UVA study uses satellite data to show that air pollution from industrial swine farms in Eastern North Carolina disproportionately affects marginalized communities.
www.eurekalert.org
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Jan 28
We're looking forward to kicking off our home visits to test for coal dust in Newport News this weekend. We want to make sure we're coming correct so we're starting with some practice rounds!

There's still time to sign up to have your home tested for coal dust! Do it at coaldustkills.com
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Jan 7
Talking with some people today about public events in Norfolk and Newport News in Summer 2025!

These events will be just one way for us to share research, connect residents to the data and to each other, and critically, have a fun time with the neighborhood residents. ~*~ stay tuned friends ~*~
coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Dec 17
Participants must be 18 years or older.
University of Virginia IRB-SBS 7086
Principal Investigator Sally Pusede
coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Dec 17
Ready to participate or learn more? Visit coaldustkills.com, or give us a call or text at 757.317.0356
Coal Dust Kills
coaldustkills.com
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Dec 17
2. Tell Your Story.
We’re interviewing community members to learn how coal dust affects your daily life and what changes you'd like to see. Your voice matters.
Interviews are voluntary and uncompensated—but your experience can help drive real change.
1 1
coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Dec 17
1. Test the Dust.
We’re collecting dust from buildings to see if it contains coal. Our tests will look for specific metals that come from coal dust. We’ll visit your home twice for about an hour each time (scheduled when it’s best for you!) As a thank you, we offer your household $100 in gift cards.
1 1
coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Dec 17
Got Dust? We Want to Test It!
We’re researching the impact of coal dust in Southeast Newport News and Lambert’s Point to push for changes that will cut down on coal pollution— and we need your help!

2 Ways to Get Involved:
Got Dust? We Want to Test It! We’re researching the impact of coal dust in Southeast Newport News and Lambert’s Point to push for changes that will cut down on coal pollution— and we need your help! 2 Ways to Get Involved: Test the Dust. We’re collecting dust from homes and neighborhood buildings to see if it contains coal. Our tests will look for specific metals that come from coal dust 2. Tell Your Story! We’re interviewing community members to learn how coal dust affects your daily life and what changes you'd like to see. Your voice matters! Let's tackle coal dust together! 1. Dust Testing. We’ll visit your home twice for about an hour each time (scheduled when it’s best for you!). As a thank you, we offer your household $100 in gift cards. 2. Share Your Story. Interviews are voluntary and uncompensated—but your experience can help drive real change. Ready to participate or learn more? Visit coaldustkills.com, or give us a call or text at 757.317.0356 Participants must be 18 years or older University of Virginia IRB-SBS 7086 Principal Investigator Sally Pusede
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Dec 11
We're collecting all the data, interviews, photos, research and meeting notes we've generated in the past two years into a coal dust wiki. Will go live in the first part of 2025. ( :<
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Dec 10
We swiped the sides of houses in Hampton Roads with EPA standard wipes earlier this fall. Now, the dust is being tested.

Sometimes politicians and industry executives claim it's not coal dust but highway exhaust that makes the dust. Soon we'll know for sure.

#coaldustkills#environmentaljustice
A gloved hand holds a white wet wipe that has thick black dust smeared across its surface. Asphalt in the background.
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Dec 9
Based on these maps, does it seem like the sensors would detect airborne coal dust?
The Windy.com map with the blue stars and red circles from the previous two maps indicating the terminals and the EPA sensors. It’s clear that the sensors are pretty far from the terminals. The wind direction wouldn’t suggest that airborne particles would reach the sensors from the terminals.
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Dec 9
Here is the wind pattern around the coal terminals and sensors (yellow arrows):
Screenshot of Windy.com wind maps with yellow arrows showing the direction the wind typically blows, and is blowing on today’s date Monday 12/9/24: towards the northeast, from the southwest direction.
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coaldustkills.bsky.social
The Repair Lab @coaldustkills.bsky.social · Dec 9
And here are the coal terminals in Hampton Roads (blue stars):
Screenshot of Google Maps radar image with a blue star over Dominion and Kinder Morgan Terminals in Newport News and a second blue star over Lambert’s Point Terminal in Norfolk.
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