Monday, February 3rd, 2014 | Posted by Kate Boyle | No Comments
Last week, more than 75 people braved single-digit temperatures in Philadelphia, Penn., to call on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to take action to protect Appalachia from mountaintop removal coal mining. Until legally binding safeguards are set by the EPA, Appalachia's waters will continue to be polluted by mountaintop removal coal mining.
[ Read More ]Monday, February 3rd, 2014 | Posted by Brian Sewell | No Comments
The U.S. Senate sent the Farm Bill sent to President Obama for his signature this week, ending a 17-month standstill on the nearly $1 trillion bill. In addition to designating funding for farm subsidies, crop insurance, and nutritional programs, the bill contains exceedingly important programs to expand energy efficiency in rural communities across the country. [ Read More ]Thursday, January 30th, 2014 | Posted by Amy Adams | No Comments
By the end of this year, the EPA will finally publish the first-ever federal rule regulating the disposal of coal ash. The agency’s December 19 deadline is the result of a settlement reached today in a lawsuit brought by Earthjustice, representing Appalachian Voices, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and other groups. The law, strong science and good public policy all support regulating coal ash as a hazardous waste. Will the EPA stand up for environmental and public health?
[ Read More ]Thursday, January 30th, 2014 | Posted by Ann League | 1 Comment
I started working to protect Tennessee's mountains from mountaintop removal coal mining more than 10 years ago because it was personal for me. And I plan to continue fighting mountaintop removal because the mountains of Tennessee will always be in my heart, which is why I am so excited to join Appalachian Voices to coordinate the organization's Tennessee campaign.
[ Read More ]Wednesday, January 29th, 2014 | Posted by Erin Savage | 4 Comments
I checked Facebook early on the morning of January 9th, cursing my mild addiction to social media, and was suddenly glad that I had. I saw a news report of a chemical spill in Charleston, W.Va., which I quickly emailed to the rest of the staff at Appalachian Voices. I then packed a bag anticipating the potential to be gone for several days. I knew as little about what I might be doing through my work with Appalachian Water Watch as I did about what exactly had happened in Charleston. [ Read More ]Tuesday, January 28th, 2014 | Posted by Hannah Wiegard | No Comments
The 2014 session of the Virginia General Assembly is underway, and state lawmakers are wasting no time. Legislation this session falls into two categories: the bright ideas that bring Virginia closer to a future of safe and reliable clean energy, and the downright crazy bills that do the opposite and must be stopped. Here is the breakdown. [ Read More ]Tuesday, January 28th, 2014 | Posted by Eric Chance | 2 Comments
Today, Appalachian Voices along with our allies in Virginia filed a lawsuit against Penn Virginia, for water polluted by selenium coming from abandoned mines on their land. This lawsuit is one in a series of suits aimed at cleaning up selenium pollution in Callahan Creek. [ Read More ]Friday, January 24th, 2014 | Posted by Brian Sewell | 1 Comment
Today is Solar Day. But unfortunately, the solar industry in North Carolina might be growing to quickly for big daddy Duke Energy to keep in check. As the News & Observer and other sources are reporting, Duke wants to reduce the value of the renewable energy credits North Carolina households that have installed rooftop solar receive for generating electricity that is fed into the grid. [ Read More ]Tuesday, January 21st, 2014 | Posted by Hannah Wiegard | 6 Comments
I joined Appalachian Voices to help steer Appalachian Power and Dominion Virginia Power toward clean energy. Over the recent winter break, I got a jump on this massive undertaking in what may seem an unusual way: by becoming utterly engrossed in a "Doctor Who" marathon. I maintain that it was time well-spent in the fight for clean energy sources and efficiency for the Old Dominion. [ Read More ]Monday, January 20th, 2014 | Posted by Amy Adams | 1 Comment
There is a lesson in West Virginia’s water crisis for North Carolina policymakers and regulatory agencies akin to the saying that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. If you look at the changes to and by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 2013 and the path ahead in 2014, the General Assembly seems resolved to run headlong down a shortsighted path that will lead to the same inevitable consequences. [ Read More ]Sunday, January 19th, 2014 | Posted by Sarah Kellogg | No Comments
On Jan. 9, Watauga County residents left the Sugar Grove Community Center equipped and inspired to make their homes more energy efficient. We're excited to continue hosting Energy Savings Information Sessions throughout western North Carolina and East Tennessee. [ Read More ]Saturday, January 18th, 2014 | Posted by Tom Cormons | 2 Comments
On Thursday, Jan. 9, more than 7,500 gallons of a highly toxic chemical used to process coal spilled into the Elk River -- just upstream of a drinking water intake serving more than 300,000 people in West Virginia. While the spill was making national headlines as a one-time event, our thoughts turned to the much bigger problems with water pollution and politics in Appalachia that don't get enough attention from the media -- and how these chronic problems actually set the stage for this disaster.
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