An Elder from Holy Covenant Church of Christ performs a ritual ashing during the hearing

Tuesday’s standing room only coal ash hearings in Charlotte, N.C. were nothing less than encouraging. As a fresh addition to Appalachian Voices, it was a learning experience for me on all things “coal ash.” Citizens from all walks of life stood up to testify against the harmful effects of the improper disposal of coal ash in the environment.

Close to fifteen members, staff and board from Appalachian Voices accompanied our Watauga Riverkeeper, Donna Lisenby, to Charlotte to participate in the process.

The topic of the hearing was the U.S. EPA’s upcoming vote on subtitle C, which will treat coal ash as hazardous waste and provide federal regulations of the byproduct, and subtitle D, which will allow coal ash to be titled as non-hazardous waste and leave disposal decisions up to individual states.

“I don’t think our lives are worth any less. We are not worthless. I want the EPA to see this,” said Elisa Young, a subtitle C supporter from Ohio. (more…)