U.S. coal giant Alpha Natural Resources files for bankruptcy

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U.S. coal giant Alpha Natural Resources files for bankruptcy

By | August 7, 2015

Alpha Natural Resources, one of the largest coal mining companies in the United States and a big player in the Appalachian coal market, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday of this week, blaming “an unprecedented period of distress with increased competition from natural gas, an oversupply in the global coal market, historically low prices due to weaker international and domestic economies, and increasing government regulation that has pushed electric utilities to transition away from coal-fired power plants.

Virginians’ electric bills could shrink under Clean Power Plan

By | July 20, 2015

A report by Public Citizen’s Climate Program details how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s soon-to-be finalized standards on carbon pollution could lower Virginians’ power bills. The strategy for achieving this benefit is simple: invest in cost-effective energy efficiency programs first.

A time of transition: APCo’s latest Virginia generation plan

By | July 6, 2015

It’s like Christmas in July, at least for those of us who get excited about energy news. On Wednesday Virginia’s utilities released their long-term plans to meet demand. Here we unwrap that bright shiny package for a look at what Appalachian Power is pursuing between now and 2029.

Pope’s message on climate brings hope for change

By | June 18, 2015

“…for human beings to degrade the integrity of the earth by causing changes in its climate, by stripping the earth of its natural forests or destroying its wetlands; for human beings to contaminate the earth’s waters, its land, its air, and its life – these are sins.” Thus spake Pope Francis today in his “Laudato Si'” letter, the Vatican’s first encyclical on the environment. And it’s a doozy.

La Crosse Virus on the Rise in Appalachia

By | June 15, 2015

By Laura Marion A third species of mosquito capable of transmitting the La Crosse encephalitis virus has been discovered in the Appalachian region, according to a report published by the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Up to 100…

TAGS: Climate change mosquitoes

Caught red-handed! Or more accurately, red-beaked

By | June 15, 2015

Wood thrushes — and their appetite for bright-red ginseng berries — are helping the plant spread its range further north.

TAGS: birds Climate change ecology ginseng

Clean Power Plan Comes with Options and Opportunities

By | June 10, 2015

The federal Clean Power Plan is moving forward — and many states are moving forward with implementation plans — despite an unfriendly reception from many Appalachian politicians.

Score one for the Clean Power Plan

By | June 9, 2015

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals today rebuked the first legal challenge to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to cut global-warming pollution from the nation’s power plants. In a straightforward ruling, the court said the states and the industry groups had no legal grounds to challenge EPA’s “Clean Power Plan” since it has yet to be finalized.

TAGS: Carbon carbon rule Climate change CPP EPA

Citizen Scientists Tackle Climate Change

By | April 13, 2015

Across the region, volunteers from all walks of life are recording when the dogwood blooms and when the warblers arrive. These citizen scientists are compiling observations that help researchers monitor subtle changes in seasonal events, and provide the backbone for extensive projects to track climate change.

PJM Analysis Makes Economic Case for Clean Power Plan

By | April 8, 2015

By Eliza Laubach A region-wide electric grid operating company, PJM, released a report in March analyzing how states could comply with a proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule requiring that power plants cut carbon dioxide emissions. The company, which extends…