Last week, Appalachian Voices and our partners won a major victory in the Kentucky courts when a judge overturned two slap-on-the-wrist settlements that the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet had reached with Frasure Creek Mining a few years ago.
Blog Archives
Kentucky court sides with citizens and environment
TAGS: Appalachian Voices Appalachian Water Watch Clean Water Act Coal EPA Kentucky Kentucky Litigation Mountaintop Removal Water Water Pollution Waterkeeper
Virginia utilities expand their menus with new energy-saving offerings
Advocates for energy efficiency often call it “the first fuel,” and Virginia is now creeping ahead toward gains in this lowest-cost power source. The state’s largest utilities are promoting new programs to help their customers invest in energy-saving home improvements, which can help Virginians save money while reducing energy consumption and pollution.
We won’t stop until we’ve won in Virginia
Despite last week’s legislative hearing on the Clean Power Plan in Richmond being stacked with pro-industry speakers, the legislators could not fail to notice just how many Virginians took the time to be there to watch and listen, and how passionately they care about shifting to clean energy.
TAGS: Appalachian Voices carbon pollution Climate change Energy Efficiency EPA general assembly Virginia
Same coal company, same old (illegal) tricks
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. That certainly seems to be the case with Frasure Creek Mining. Four years ago we took legal action against them for submitting false water monitoring reports, and now they are at it again, but this time the false reporting is even more extensive.
TAGS: Appalachian Voices Appalachian Water Watch Clean Water Act EPA FArCES of Coal Kentucky Kentucky Litigation Mountaintop Removal Water Water Pollution Waterkeeper
Be cool and keep fighting
For the next couple of days, you’ll have a hard time looking at anything online or on TV that doesn’t try to break down the midterm elections. Most pundits will analyze what happened, and some will try to tell you what it all means. Whatever that is, the job before us has not changed, and our responsibilities to Appalachia are the same today as they were yesterday and will be tomorrow.
TAGS: appalachia Clean Water Act Coal Coal Ash Congress EPA Kentucky Mountaintop Removal North Carolina Politics Tennessee Virginia West Virginia
Coal ash rule reaches White House for final review
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has sent the long-awaited Coal Ash Rule to the White House for final review. But until the agency’s Dec. 19 deadline, we likely won’t know much about how far the final rule will go to protect communities from coal ash pollution. And that’s probably just how the White House wants it.
A Washington Post editorial on mountaintop removal’s dirty consequences
The Washington Post published a strongly worded editorial condemning mountaintop removal coal mining in Appalachia that cites recent studies revealing the practice’s dirty consequences. With the mounting scientific evidence that mining pollution is decimating aquatic life, wiping out trees and mountains, and promoting a host of human health problems, there is no excuse to continue allowing mountaintop removal.
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.”
Employees of DEP-certified lab conspired to violate Clean Water Act
An employee of a state-certified company pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the federal Clean Water Act after he faked compliant water quality samples for coal companies between 2008 and 2013. While we’re appalled by this discovery, it is hard to be surprised.
TAGS: appalachia Clean Water Act Coal EPA Kentucky Mountaintop Removal Water Pollution West Virginia
To tell the truth
Last month, our director of programs, Matt Wasson, testified before Congress about the perils of mountaintop removal and coal ash pollution, and the failure of some state agencies to protect communities from pollution. While Matt had a rare opportunity to provide a reality check for elected leaders, it’s the people in coal-impacted communities who know this reality better than anyone.
