By Melanie Foley Legislative Policy and Research Assistant, Summer 2013 The Clean Water Protection Act, HR 1837, was introduced last month with 45 original cosponsors. Since then, more than two dozen additional members of Congress have recognized the need to…
Blog Archives
Needle in a Haystack: U.S. Senate Supports Lower Energy Costs for Rural America, will the House Follow Suit?
On June 11, the U.S. Senate passed a five-year Farm Bill that includes a small provision with significant potential for reducing energy costs for rural Americans. The Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) — based on South Carolina’s successful “Help My…
“War on Coal” Claims are a War on Reality
By Melanie Foley Legislative Policy and Research Assistant, Summer 2013 The coal industry and the members of Congress who depend on its support have accused President Obama and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of waging a “war on coal.” Industry…
Clean Water News: Congress Backs Down, N.C. Steps Up
Last week, there was concern that the U.S. Senate budget resolution would end up containing measures to decrease funding for initiatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency such as the release of guidelines for coal ash disposal and rules to…
An Uphill Climb Gets Steeper
Sequestration Comes to Appalachia By Melanie Foley Legislative Policy and Research Assistant, Summer 2013 In August 2011, Congress and President Obama made a pact. They agreed to $1.2 trillion worth of cuts over 10 years if another deficit reduction compromise…
No Longer Hidden in Plain Sight, Thanks to SoutheastCoalAsh.org!
For how large coal ash impoundments can be, they are sure hard to spot. For example, there are two large earthen dams full of coal ash just north of Charlotte near Mountain Island Lake. Can you spot them? (Answer: They’re…
A Physician’s Take on Coal Pollution
A few weeks after releasing our report, The Human Cost of Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining, and helping launch the No More Excuses campaign through iLoveMountains.org, I was turned on to a interview about the impacts to human health during various…
Electoral Math for “All You Climate People”
During a campaign season in which climate change featured most prominently as a laugh line at the Republican National Convention, the low point was when CNN’s Candy Crowley addressed “all you climate people” in her explanation of why climate didn’t…
Worried about Water? The EPA’s New Tool Can Help
Maps provide a valuable perspective of the lay of the land, the ability to identify local waterways, their length and proximity to urban or agricultural areas, and their connectivity as they wrap around hills or snake through open plains. But…
Update: House Passes Dirty Coal Package
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…
TAGS: Clean Water Act Coal Coal Ash Congress Environment EPA Mountaintop Removal Politics Water Pollution
