For the past 30 years, the legal staff at the Appalachian Research and Defense Fund of Kentucky, Inc. (Appalred) have addressed coal-related issues in eastern Kentucky. Appalred has brought significant, precedent setting cases under the Mine Safety and Health Act and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.

Following on Appalred’s tradition as leader in coal mining issues in Eastern Kentucky, Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center grew out of a vision to create a public interest law office devoted solely to addressing these coal-mining issues and cases. In response to that need, with funding assistance from the Bingham Trust in Connecticut, ACLC opened in January 2002, to concentrate its efforts in the coal-related work previously handled by Appalred.

ACLC is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation.