By Brian Sewell, J.W. Randolph and Nathan Jenkins At the state level, the public often has greater access and input on decisions and the processes of their governments. But so do special interests — especially campaign funders and industries that…
Blog Archives
Vested Power: State-Level Legislative Agendas in 2013
TAGS: Air Pollution Appalachian politics Coal mining fracking Gov. Bill Haslam Gov. Bob McDonnell Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin Gov. Pat McCrory Gov. Steve Beshear Greg Stumbo Kentucky Mountaintop Removal NC Division of Air Quality NC Mining and Energy Commission North Carolina Renewable Portfolio Standards state environmental policy Tennessee Tennessee Wilderness Act uranium mining Virginia West Virginia
The New Faces and Issues of North Carolina
THE NEW FACES For the first time since 1870, the Republican party controls both the executive and legislative branches in North Carolina government. With the General Assembly sporting veto-proof majorities in both its chambers, and Pat McCrory’s election making him…
New NC DENR Boss Isn’t Sure About Global Warming
By Tabitha Lundsford Red, White and Water intern, Spring 2013 Watch as John Skvarla, North Carolina’s new head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, sidesteps a question about climate change (near the end of the video) and supports…
Duking It Out: CEO Retires, Rates Increase and other shorts
By Matt Grimley Under a proposed settlement with the N.C. Utilities Commission and the N.C. Public Staff, Duke Energy President and CEO Jim Rogers will retire from his positions at the end of 2013. The agreement, announced late November, would…
TAGS: Appalachian State University Bill Johnson Dries of the New RIver Duke Energy environmental justice grants EPA fracking hydroelectricity Jim Rogers North Carolina Utilities Commission nuclear Progress Energy rate hikes Recycling Task force of Kanawha County Solar Homestead Project
Showing Off Your Mussels: Powell River Restocks Declining Populations and other shorts
This fall, more than 7,000 juvenile mussels were released into the Powell River, the largest number of endangered mussels planted in the history of the river’s restoration project. The release was coordinated through a partnership between Virginia Tech, Lincoln Memorial…
TAGS: Chattanooga Daniel Boone National Forest fracking Mussels Powell River Sand Lick Fork area Tennessee
Wildlife Center Sues for Survival, Bad Fracking Rules for Tenn., Other Shorts
Wildlife Center Sues for Survival A non-profit wildlife center known for rehabilitating thousands of animals including red-winged hawks, great horned owls and bobcats has filed a lawsuit against the resort town of Beech Mountain, N.C., for what it says is…
TAGS: Beech Mountain Duke Energy fracking Genesis Wildlife Sanctuary offshore wind pests Stadium Woods Tennessee Clean Water Network Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Virginia Tech
Underground Controversy: Fracking’s Impact on Clean Water
By Jessica Kennedy Nearly all types of conventional energy have their fair share of controversy, and hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to extract natural gas is no different. This highly-profitable process continues to spread while many people call for stricter regulations…
North Carolina Lawmakers Fumble Over Fracking Vote
By Brian Sewell After Gov. Bev Perdue vetoed a controversial bill to legalize hydraulic fracturing in North Carolina, both the state Senate and House allowed little time for debate before voting to override the block. In the Republican-led House of…
Recognizing Renewable Opportunities
Kentucky could realize 34 percent of its energy demand from renewable sources by 2025, a new study shows. Authored by West Virginia-based Downstream Strategies and Kentucky-based Mountain Association for Community Economic Development, the report found that solar photovoltaic and combined…
Keeping Up with the Fracking Frenzy
By Brian Sewell The debate surrounding the controversial method of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas shows no signs of slowing down. The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources recently submitted a final report in its shale gas study to…
TAGS: fracking hydraulic fracking N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Natural Gas public lands shale gas Water Pollution
