The Front Porch Blog

Welcome to Virginia’s Energy Conference, with your host King Coal

Thursday, October 11th, 2012 | Posted by Nathan Jenkins | No Comments

Last week, Appalachian Voices and members of the Wise Energy for Virginia Coalition attended the Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s Energy Conference. Looking at the agenda, we were prepared for what would surely be a biased conference. But we didn’t know it would be this bad.

At every stage of the conference, the coal companies and electric utilities that survive on dirty energy completely suppressed the arguments for investment in energy efficiency and renewable generation. The state’s largest utilities, Dominion Virginia Power and Appalachian Energy, along with mountaintop removal giant Alpha Natural Resources, were the conferences top sponsors. Those sponsorships influenced the agenda, just as they influence in the Virginia General Assembly.

Virginia's energy policy is so concerned with how to keep coal relevant, Gov. McDonnell might as well wear his sponsors on his sleeve.

Dominion spent more than $5.5 million during the last decade in exchange for a hand in writing the laws under which it is regulated. That investment has proven worthwhile considering that Dominion stands to take in a $76 million bonus for spending less than $8 million on “clean” energy from other states, while building no new wind or solar in Virginia. This is just one of examples of corporate influence on energy policy reported in a white paper written by Appalachian Voices, the Sierra Club, and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Use of coal for electricity generation is declining in the Southeast, largely due to market forces. While there is a lot of natural gas coming out of some of our neighbor states, we do not have much in Virginia. What we do have is a vast potential for energy efficiency and renewable generation, yet this conference refused to acknowledge this or take the rapidly growing wind and solar industries seriously. (more…)

Big Coal Wins Latest Battle to Blast Historic Blair Mountain

Tuesday, October 9th, 2012 | Posted by Matt Wasson | 15 Comments

Is nothing sacred to coal companies in Appalachia?

In a jaw-dropping display of contempt and disregard for the communities and landscapes where they mine coal, three coal companies back in 2009 challenged the listing of West Virginia’s Blair Mountain on the National Register of Historic Places. The companies, including mining behemoths Alpha Natural Resources and Arch Coal, opposed the listing of Blair Mountain as a historic site because it could interfere with their plans to conduct mountaintop removal mining operations on the Spruce Fork Ridge battlefield, site of the “largest organized armed uprising in American labor history,” and the most important historic landmark in Central Appalachia.

The 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain was the culmination of a three-year struggle to unionize the coal mines of southern West Virginia and ended only when federal troops intervened on behalf of anti-union coal companies. There are few sites as significant as Blair Mountain that commemorate the brave men and women who laid down their lives for a movement that has brought Americans everything from the weekend to child labor laws to the largest and most prosperous middle class the world has ever seen. (more…)

Landmark Settlement Proposed in Kentucky Water Pollution Case

Friday, October 5th, 2012 | Posted by Eric Chance | No Comments

Appalachian Voices, along with a coalition of citizens’ groups, has reached a historic agreement with International Coal Group, Inc. (ICG), and the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet over years of false reporting and water pollution violations in Eastern Kentucky and a failure by the state to enforce the Clean Water Act.

We are very glad to achieve this settlement which will help clean up pollution in streams throughout the coal-impacted region, and we are proud to have worked with our partners in this important case that has already yielded changes in the coal industry and state regulatory agencies. The agreement was filed today in Franklin County Circuit Court and needs to be approved by the judge before taking effect.

Read our press release to find out more about the settlement.

In 2010, we uncovered dozens of pollution monitoring reports submitted by ICG and Frasure Creek Mining to the cabinet that were clearly false. Our analysis showed that some reports included all the same data as previous reports, but the dates had been changed. In other cases, there were multiple and contradictory reports for the same discharge point. Not only were the reports inaccurate, they were masking major pollution problems, as can be seen in the graphs below.

ICG Knott Conductivity

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Report Exposes How Big Coal, Electric Utility Money Dominates Virginia Politics and Policy

Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012 | Posted by Brian Sewell | No Comments

How devoted is Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell to dirty energy donations? Read our report to find out.

In advance of the Governor’s Energy Conference that is sponsored by Dominion Virginia Power, Alpha Natural Resources and Appalachian Power Company, Appalachian Voices and our allies released a white paper highlighting the influence that coal companies and utilities wield over Virginia energy policy.

“The top sponsors of the energy conference are also top sponsors of Virginia’s election campaigns,” said Tom Cormons, Virginia Director for Appalachian Voices. “Unfortunately, these companies dominate Virginia’s energy policy, just as they dominate the conference agenda. This harms consumers and taxpayers, and it may be the single greatest impediment to transitioning the commonwealth to a cleaner, healthier energy future.”

Analyzing more than a decade of publicly available data, the report draws the connection between the campaign contributions and corporate gifts from these and other dirty energy companies, and the poor record of Virginia in advancing energy efficiency and renewable programs compared to other states.

The report goes on to criticize the state’s voluntary Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard, which Chesapeake Climate Action Network Virginia State Director Beth Kemler calls “the holy grail of corporate handouts.” The misguided RPS program set marks that Dominion has been able to meet without building any wind or solar projects in Virginia. By meeting the RPS goals, Dominion qualifies for a bonus that will end up costing customers approximately $76 million over two years.

Judge Rules for Coal Companies’ Attempts to Destroy Historic Blair Mountain

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012 | Posted by Brian Sewell | No Comments

A federal judge in Washington, D.C. ruled today against groups working to return Blair Mountain to the National Register of Historic Places to prevent future surface mining operations from encroaching on the historic site of the Battle of Blair Mountain. Here is what Charleston Gazette reporter Ken Ward Jr. posted about the ruling:

I’ve posted a copy of the ruling by U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton here, but in short, the judge ruled that the citizen groups could not meet one of the requirements to show “standing” to bring the case, that of “redressability,” or that a favorable ruling from the court would redress their injury. The judge explained:

It is likely, therefore, that surface mining would be permitted on the Blair Mountain Battlefield as a result of permits that were acquired prior to the historic district’s inclusion on the National Register. An order from this Court restoring the Blair Mountain Battlefield to the National Register, therefore, will not prevent mining from occurring should the coal mining companies who own existing permits choose to exercise their rights afforded by the permits. The Court having only a limited ability to redress the plaintiffs’ asserted injuries, the plaintiffs have failed to meet their burden under the final prong of the standing inquiry.

Appalachian Voices’ Director of Programs Matt Wasson had this to say about the ruling:

The real story is the relentless campaign by coal companies to undermine the national significance of Blair Mountain so they can blow it up to retrieve the coal. It’s simply stunning that they would even consider demolishing the site of the largest battle on American soil since the Civil War and one of the most important historical landmarks for organized labor in the world. Can you imagine if a company sought to turn the Gettysburg battlefield into a massive landfill? Is nothing sacred to these big coal companies beyond next quarter’s profits?

Today’s court decision was based on a technicality and is not the last word on the fate of Blair Mountain. We call on the Obama Administration to use its full power to ensure that this national treasure is protected. Furthermore, we call on Alpha Natural Resources and Arch Coal to respect our cultural heritage and the memory of those who gave their lives to improve the conditions of working people by abandoning this outrageous effort to conduct mountaintop removal coal mining operations on Blair Mountain.

Clean Air, Water Standards Important to Undecided Voters

Monday, October 1st, 2012 | Posted by | No Comments

By Matt Abele
Multimedia Communications intern, Fall 2012/Spring 2013

In light of the upcoming national elections, the National Resource Defense Council’s Action Fund investigated how undecided voters view some of today’s key environmental concerns. Public Policy Polling polled over 22,000 likely voters in eight battleground states, including Ohio and Virginia. These polls came back overwhelmingly in favor of candidates who support clean air standards and clean energy policies.

In these states, 60 percent of those polled favored reducing toxic mercury pollution from power plants and increasing fuel efficiency standards. A majority also favored stronger limits on carbon pollution and supported greater incentives for renewable energy.

Undecided voters were also asked how they would vote for candidates based on clean energy investments and the EPA’s role in protecting our resources. Fifty-three percent favored candidates who back increased incentives for renewables, and 72 percent believed that the EPA should protect “the air we breathe and water we drink.”

Overall, the message is clear from this polling and can best be summed up by a statement from NRDC Action Fund director Heather Taylor-Miesle: “Most Americans want clean air and energy and want polluters held accountable for the pollution they dump in our communities.”

For more information, visit: nrdcactionfund.org/undecidedvoters

Go Tell It on Mountain Island Lake

Saturday, September 29th, 2012 | Posted by Matt Grimley | No Comments

Last Sunday, the Charlotte Observer asked the question, “Are we doing enough on coal ash?” Two people stepped in to answer. The column in the negative was written by Sam Perkins, Director of Technical Programs for the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation; the column in the affirmative was written by Mitch Griggs, vice president of environmental services for Duke Energy.

Perkins says that coal ash doesn’t get the hype it deserves. It leaches into our major rivers and lakes, poisons our fish and wildlife, and was the catalyst for one of the worst environmental disasters in our nations history. The fact is that coal ash is toxic: the heavy metals it contains are associated with cancer, birth defects, and other health problems.

“A person is entitled to do as they please on their property while respecting and not impacting property that is not their own,” says Perkins, raising a valid point: why are we allowing companies to pollute our waters? Clean water is our right, and why should current environmental regulations, which are inadequate and laden with exceptions for large utilities, allow utilities to plant coal ash ponds by public areas like Mountain Island Lake?

Aerial photo of the Riverbend coal ash ponds and their proximity to Mountain Island Lake

Fortunately, the people who live and love Mountain Island Lake, are stepping in, people like Sara Behnke. She heads up the organization We Love Mountain Island Lake, and is working to inform the public about the dangers of coal to our air, water and health. Specifically, she speaks up about the Riverbend Steam Station, its coal ash ponds, and their proximity to Mountain Island Lake, which happens to serve drinking water for Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Gastonia, and Mt. Holly. All in all, about 860,000 people get their drinking water from Mountain island Lake. (more…)

Revealing the True Cost of Coal by Taking the “Con” Out of Economics

Friday, September 28th, 2012 | Posted by Brian Sewell | No Comments

When it comes to revealing external costs, the true cost of coal on the environment and our health must come first.

At the Democratic National Convention, Appalachian Voices’ staff attended and participated in several panel discussions and events relevant to our work. Perhaps the most engaging forum that I was fortunate enough to attend was the “Summit for a Sustainable Economy,” hosted by the American Sustainable Business Council.

Shortly after I arrived, flipped through the materials and familiarized myself with the panelists, I began to hear things from the front of the room that piqued my curiosity, things like “Not everything with a price has value, not everything with value has a price.” It didn’t take long to realize that these were folks who understand not only the moral reasons why people must come before profit, but that it’s also just good business.

Lew Daly, director of the Sustainable Progress Initiative and a senior fellow at Demos, did not speak this priceless phrase as a spontaneous thought, but as if it were a chief operating principle that should be accepted by businesses of all sizes, publicly and privately owned.

During the transition from a manufacturing-based to service-based economy, analysts began calling it a shift to the new economy. But that period of high growth soon stalled, and eventually the bubble burst. We’ve become disillusioned with the new economy and now thousands of businesses and groups like the ASBC are revealing the true economy. They know that calculating the true cost of coal — carbon pollution, environmental degradation and its many other external costs — imposed on the local and global environment will be essential in achieving this goal. (more…)

Susan Lapis, Volunteer Southwings Pilot, Given Prestigious Aviation Award

Thursday, September 27th, 2012 | Posted by Kate Boyle | No Comments

Image courtesy of Southwings

Earlier this month, Volunteer Pilot Susan Lapis was awarded the 2012 “Distinguished Volunteer Pilot” award from the National Aeronautic Association and the Air Care Alliance as part of their Public Benefit Flying Awards Program.

For over a decade, Susan has been giving flyovers of mountaintop removal coal mining sites through her work with Southwings where she has been a volunteer pilot since 1999.

Susan and Southwings have made an incredible contribution to the fight to end mountaintop removal coal mining by giving individuals the unique ability to see the destruction of Appalachia from the air. Check out this video where Susan talks about the importance of these flights and why she has volunteered so much time to make them happen:

Video courtesy of the film Deep Down.

The Public Benefit Flying Awards were created in 2003 to recognize significant contributions by people and organizations who voluntarily put their aviation skills, talents, and equipment to use to the benefit of our of Nation. They are the most important aviation awards of this nature in the United States. The NAA recognized Susan “for her enormous contributions using her aviation skills to protect the natural heritage, communities and ecosystems of the Southeast.”

Photo courtesy of the National Aeronautic Association

Susan is a 1000-plus hour instrument-rated pilot who flys a Cessna 182. She lives in Bristol, VA, with her husband Jim. They have two grown children, Beth and John.

Update: House Passes Dirty Coal Package

Monday, September 24th, 2012 | Posted by Thom Kay | 2 Comments

UPDATE: Last Friday, the House passed the Dirty Coal package, H.R. 3409, by a vote of 233-175. Thirteen Republicans, led by Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-8), crossed party lines to oppose the bill and stand up for Appalachian communities and public health. The three parts of the bill not related to mountaintop removal mining had received little Republican opposition, but the pro-mountaintop removal language caused over a dozen Republicans to oppose.

Disappointingly, Ben Chandler (KY-6) and Larry Kissell (NC-8), both cosponsors of the Clean Water Protection Act, voted FOR the bills, as well as bad amendments.

The “Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012” is not expected to be taken up in the Senate, and the President has threatened to veto the legislation.
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This Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on a package of bills they are calling the “Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012,” and so far they’ve managed to keep a straight face. The package is comprised of five bills, four of which have already been passed at least once by the House, including the Dirty Water Act, the coal ash bill (again), and a bill to stop EPA from regulating carbon emissions. Instead of bringing the fifth bill up for a vote by itself, House Majority leadership has, for no legitimate legislative reason, decided to lump it in with four others that give coal companies the right to ignore both the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. Bill Johnson Likes Coal

The fifth bill is Rep. Bill Johnson’s (OH-6) H.R. 3409, the “Coal Miner Employment and Domestic Energy Infrastructure Protection Act,” which may seem a bit wordy but has the catchy acronym “CMEDEIPA.” The bill is all about protecting the coal industry’s ability to continue mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia, although it would also derail efforts to protect streams from underground longwall mines.
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Coming Soon: 5th Annual Weekend in Wise

Friday, September 21st, 2012 | Posted by Molly Moore | No Comments

The 5th Annual Weekend in Wise County, hosted by the Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards and the Wise Energy for Virginia Coalition amid Virginia’s treasured Appalachian Mountains, is just around the corner.

October 12 through 14, experience the beauty and culture of southwest Virginia and learn about mountaintop removal coal mining. Participate in tours of mountaintop removal sites, sustainable living workshops, community and expert panels, activist trainings. Also, enjoy local food, live music and dancing!

RSVP: Click here to register today!

The weekend will also feature information on a new campaign to stop an egregious project called the Coalfields Expressway, a 50-mile-long strip mine masquerading as a highway in southwest Virginia.

Not sure if you can make it? Weekend in Wise is worth the journey.

Last September, two whirlwind weeks into the beginning of my service year with Appalachian Voices, the Boone staff told my fellow newbie and I to drive the twisty roads north towards the sleepy-seeming town of Appalachia, Virginia. When we reached the Weekend in Wise headquarters at Appalachia Civic Center, we found a committed community determined to grow awareness of mountaintop removal, strengthen the movement, and have a good time while doing so.
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The Senate and the L’awful’ Coal Ash Bill

Thursday, September 20th, 2012 | Posted by | No Comments

To put it mildly, the supposed coal ash regulation bill S. 3512 falls short of our expectations. The bill — proposed last July by Sens. Hoeven (R-SD), Conrad (D-SD), and Baucus (D-MT) — shields utilities from their obligations to upgrade their unsafe ash dumps in a timely fashion, clean up sites that they have contaminated, or close leaking and unstable ponds and landfills.

The aftermath of Kingston coal ash spill in 2008

Coal ash ponds are gigantic impoundments that contain the toxic byproducts from burning coal. S. 3512 won’t require deadlines for states to implement a permit program for coal ash ponds. The proposal even prevents the EPA from enforcing any standards contained in this bill, leaving the states free to do whatever they want.

To put it strongly and more correctly, S. 3512 isn’t OK at all. Tell the Senate today that clean water is your right.
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