Earth First! Blockades Clinch River Power Plant

Read their press release about the event. No one has yet been harmed, and it sounds like they’ve even charmed one of the coal truck drivers, who turned down money they offered him to compensate for his time.

Read more as the story unfolds.

Appalachian Voices, always partial to the legislative route, worked this year to pass a statewide bill called the “Virginia Clean Smokestacks Act,” which would clean up coal-fired power plants like Clinch River. We did a lot of grassroots work in Virginia, and even put on a fantastic bake sale! Read more about our clean air campaign in Appalachia

The Clinch River power plant is over 50 years old, and puts 1000s of downwind residents in harms way, causing dozens of deaths each year in the mountains.

About JW Randolph

Raised on the banks of the Tennessee River, JW's work to create progress in his home state and throughout Appalachia has been featured on the Rachel Maddow Show, The Daily Kos and Grist. He served first as Appalachian Voices’ Legislative Associate and then Tennessee director until leaving to pursue a career in medicine in 2012.