Appalachian states are burdened by millions of tons of toxic coal ash. Without firm federal standards, it’s up to states to determine much of the cleanup process — and regional states are taking varying approaches.
Blog Archives
Catholic Letter Addresses Environment, Economy
The Catholic Committee of Appalachia’s third pastoral letter highlights the voices of ordinary citizens and focuses on social justice and environmental issues including mountaintop removal coal mining, water quality, climate change, poverty and health.
TAGS: appalachia Catholic Committee of Appalachia Climate change Environmental Justice Health mountaintop removal coal mining poverty social justice Water quality
In the Neighborhood: Living with Coal Ash
By Sandra Diaz Tracey Edwards, a lifelong resident of Stokes County, resides within three miles of the coal-fired Belews Creek Steam Station, and is concerned about the coal ash the plant generates. As a child growing up in the mostly…
Solidarity in the Tar Heel State
The communities near Duke Energy’s Belews Creek power plant and coal-ash dump in North Carolina have suffered a long time from water pollution. Now the state is poised to allow the natural gas industry to drill fracking wells nearby. Citizens are saying “enough.” The NAACP announced a civil rights investigation at a recent press conference and took its protest to the state capitol at a “Moral Monday” rally. Appalachian Voices is standing in solidarity with these champions for environmental justice.
TAGS: African American belews creek Coal Ash Duke Energy Environmental Justice environmental racism fracking NAACP North Carolina social justice
Exposed: Linking Human Health and the Environment
As an assortment of pollutants leach into our lives, the harmful effects continue to surface in public health. Read about the connections between human health and environmental concerns associated with energy, pesticides and climate change. This article is featured in an Appalachian Voices webinar
TAGS: Climate change Coal Ash coal combustion Environmental Justice fracking mountaintop removal coal mining Pesticides public health
N.C.’s Sutton Lake finally gets the protection it deserves
Wilmington, N.C., is the site of the L.V. Sutton Power Station — a retired coal-fired power plant operated by Duke Energy along the Lower Cape Fear River. Though Duke recently converted Sutton to burn natural gas, the carcinogenic-laden waste generated from decades of coal combustion remains in 135 acres on site. But this one lake, at least, is one of the few slated for cleanup in the state, while the future of 10 other sites remains a question.
One Artist’s Experience with Coal Ash
Caroline Armijo began an environmental justice art project after seeing many friends and family die from cancer in her North Carolina community, near one of the state’s largest coal ash impoundments. In this excerpt from her website, she describes the circumstances that shaped her paper sculpture creation, titled “Gray Matter.”
Volunteering in West Virginia
Big Laurel Learning Center Along the beautiful Tug Fork River near Kermit, W.Va., this rural community center offers environmental service opportunities to educate and assist communities affected by mountaintop removal mining. “The coal mines are right next door and people…
TAGS: Big Laurel Learning Center Coal River Mountain Watch Direct Action Welfare Group Environmental Justice gardening service programs volunteering West Virginia
Dewayne Barton: Building Opportunity in West Asheville
By Kimber Ray Dewayne Barton isn’t only referring to nature when he talks about changing the way people relate to their environment. “Just like we polluted a stream or a river, we also polluted communities, and [restoring communities] has to…
TAGS: Asheville clean energy Environmental Justice green jobs training Local business North Carolina Sustainable business weatherization
The Changemakers
Creating a Better Appalachia By Molly Moore In this issue, we celebrate some of the engaged citizens, motivated visionaries and creative collaborations that enact the famous adage, attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, to “be the change you want to see in…
