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Archive for August, 2012

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Speaking Truth to Power: Appalachian Voices at the DNC

Monday, August 27th, 2012 - posted by brian

From the halls of Congress to small churches and community centers, Appalachian Voices has worked for years to make mountaintop removal an issue of national importance and awareness. Our members, volunteers and staff understand the importance of speaking truth to power with one strong collective voice. This is why next week we will travel to Charlotte, N.C., as all eyes turn to the Democratic National Convention.

During the convention, we’ll be tweeting, posting to Facebook and on our Front Porch Blog, sharing all of the important events happening in Charlotte and how they relate to our work to protect the communities of Central and Southern Appalachia. To make it easier for you to follow all the action, we’ve created a special page for all things DNC.

On September 3, Appalachian Voices and Greenpeace will host “Bourbon, Bluegrass and a Better Future for Appalachia,” where guests of honor Van Jones and Kentucky Rep. John Yarmuth will join us in spirited celebration of our work protecting one of America’s most culturally and environmentally diverse regions.

(more…)

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A One-Two Punch in the Fight for Clean Water

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012 - posted by brian

It has been a week of good news in the fight for stronger protections against coal ash pollution. A court settlement in South Carolina and a major decision regarding the 2008 TVA Kingston coal ash spill make for a one-two punch against the poorly regulated toxic waste.

A federal court found that the Tennessee Valley Authority is ultimately liable for the December 2008 coal ash spill. The failed pond at TVA's Kingston Plant released more than one billion gallons of toxic coal ash and covered 300 acres.

This morning, a federal court ruled that the Tennessee Valley Authority is liable for the massive coal ash spill at its Kingston Plant in December 2008. In his written opinion, U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan ruled that the spill resulted ultimately from TVA’s “negligent nondiscretionary conduct” — far from the unpredictable geologic event that TVA lawyers claimed was the cause during the trial.

In fact, we know more than ever just how preventable the catastrophic spill was. In the months following the event, an engineering firm hired by TVA issued a report that identified the unstable layer of soil beneath the coal ash which had gone undetected for decades as TVA continued to pile on larger amounts of the toxic waste. Subsequent reports revealed internal agency memos that contained warnings that could have prevented the spill. And in his ruling, Varlan was sure to mention that had TVA investigated and addressed the unstable pond, the spill might have been avoided.

Shorty after the coal ash pond failed, it became clear that the Kingston spill would become the worst environmental disaster of its kind in American history. TVA initially estimated that 1.7 million cubic yards burst from the pond and into the Emory and Clinch Rivers. They later had to revise that estimate to more than 5.4 million cubic yards — more than a billion gallons and 100 times larger than the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. (more…)

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A Summer of Resistance: Civil Disobedience and the Barriers to Progress

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012 - posted by brian


Photos of RAMPS’ “Mountain Mobilization” courtesy of documentary photographer Mark Schmerling.

On July 28, an action planned and carried out by RAMPS — or Radical Action for Mountain Peoples’ Survival, a group based in West Virginia — led a large group of mostly young protesters to march up the entrance of the Hobet surface mine in Lincoln County, W.Va. Once on the mine site, they climbed trees, chained themselves to heavy machinery and stood with banners that read “COAL LEAVES, CANCER STAYS,” and the optimistic “RESTORE OUR MOUNTAINS, REEMPLOY OUR MINERS.”

The intention of the action, according to RAMPS, was to shut down the mine — and they succeeded. But much of the media attention that resulted from it looked past the point that the protesters were trying to get across: the irremovable mountain of evidence of the devastation caused by mountaintop removal and an industry evading the causes and impacts of its own downturn. Instead, some stories focused on how quickly the situation surrounding the mine escalated which led to confrontations between protesters, counterprotesters and the police.

In a presidential election where everything is made out to be at stake, particularly the future of the coal industry in Appalachia, establishing a dialogue over repeated charges of a so-called “war on coal” has become nearly impossible. The once bright opportunity for collaboration and conversation has not only reached a tipping point, it has fallen off a cliff and is tumbling down a rocky embankment. (more…)

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Another Setback for the Much Needed Cross-State Pollution Rule

Tuesday, August 21st, 2012 - posted by thom

The EPA's Cross-State Air Pollution Rule that was rejected by the U.S. Court of Appeals on Tuesday would improve air quality for an estimated 240 million Americans and prevent between 13,000 to 34,000 premature deaths each year.

A critical clean air rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which would help provide cleaner air for an estimated 240 million Americans — including Appalachians — was dealt a setback today by the U.S. Court of Appeals which rejected the rule 2-to-1.

Finalized in August 2011, the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule would help prevent pollution from power plants in one state from reaching downwind states. EPA estimates that the rule would prevent between 13,000 and 34,000 premature deaths by 2014, along with preventing thousands of nonfatal heart attacks, asthma attacks, sick days and other negative health impacts associated with air pollution.

The rule focuses on the reduction of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions. These pollutants are emitted mostly from coal-fired power plants, particularly plants concentrated in the Southeast that burn high-sulfur Central Appalachian coal, much of which is from mountaintop removal mines.

Advocacy groups across the country are already calling for the Obama administration to appeal the ruling, and we fully expect them to do so. The other option is to start from scratch, delaying much needed pollution limits even longer.

That is not an alternative we can live with.

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TVA Can Negate Coal Plants, Save Billions

Monday, August 20th, 2012 - posted by jw

Energy Efficiency can lead TVA to Cost, Energy, and Emission Reductions. Soon!


An exciting new Synapse study shows us that TVA has much better options than continuing to operate and retrofit its dirty, aging fleet of coal-fired power plants. TVA currently operates 39 boilers, which would cost nearly $12 billion to retrofit. These costs do not reflect potential controls for carbon pollution. If TVA does choose to pursue retrofits on these boilers, the study finds that 33 of those 39 boilers will be “deeply non-economic on a forward going basis.” That is, power from these boilers will be more expensive than market based electricity, thus rendering them uneconomical to operate.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) must soon decide whether it will, in the next few years, spend nearly $12 billion to retrofit its aging fleet of coal-fired power plants in order to meet modern pollution standards, plus billions more to run those plants into the future. The majority of these plants are far in the red: with the projected required pollution controls, they will cost more to run than they bring in in revenue. Rather than passing billions in expenses to ratepayers to keep these plants online, TVA should be exploring ways to retire these non-economic plants as quickly as possible.

And there are some excellent job-creating, energy reducing retirement strategies for TVA to pursue. In fact, the data suggests that TVA could save billions and curb pollution by making common sense, achievable investments in energy efficiency. TVA themselves identify a 1.2% energy reduction as their “high achievable” energy efficiency reduction. Synapse took this number and applied it to potential cost savings vs coal plant retrofits. It turns out that 1.2% energy reduction could meet all projected demand growth until 2030. The study also looks at particular coal plants in the fleet, such as Galatin. The numbers they found are astounding…

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Why the New Route?

Friday, August 17th, 2012 - posted by nathan

Early this week, hundreds of citizens of southwest Virginia attended two Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) information sessions to learn more about changes to the proposed route for a project called the “Coalfields Expressway.” The divided highway was originally conceived by VDOT but considered too costly to build across the mountainous terrain.

The coal industry saw this fiscal challenge for VDOT as an opportunity to mine coal that would otherwise be untouchable. If approved, this 50-mile long road would use eminent domain to take ownership of privately owned mountains and hillsides along the new route. The coal company would then blast off the ridge tops, burying 12 miles of streams and destroying over 2,000 acres of forest, all to scrape off the thin but lucrative seams of coal. (more…)

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Rivers don’t have a pricetag, so how do we protect what they’re worth?

Thursday, August 16th, 2012 - posted by kara

“After Bonny Blue broke loose the streams been dead…”

“No fishin’, kids can’t play, smells bad… I wouldn’t put a toe in that creek.”

“A lot of people drink tap, but I won’t, I don’t trust it.”

The first visit to St. Charles was alarming, and in many ways familiar. We’ve all read of acid mine drainage or fish kills below mine impoundment breaks. But how many of us have lived with the aftermath, day in and day out? The St. Charles creek receives waste from two massive underground mines, their associated processing plants, and slurry impoundments. Now, older folks long for the days before the mines when you could fish, swim, drink straight from the creek.

Lee County, Va. isn’t heavily mined, unlike Wise County which is right next door. The communities of St. Charles and Keokee are the exceptions in Lee County. The tucked away towns were always comforting when I visited; driving through Virginia backroads over mountains and around tight switchbacks is almost meditative. Despite the lull of summer’s heat and the drive’s beauty I would always be heading to another murky pond, orange seep or dead stream below burdensome surface mines. In St. Charles, I was visiting folks to hear more about the two 1996 slurry impoundment spills and see if I could help by testing the water. After a few hours of stories and a couple of monitoring trips it’s plain to see that coal inevitably hurts those living downstream.

Arch Coal owns the Bonny Blue Mine and Lone Mountain Mine, both of which are a couple miles upstream from St. Charles. As an intern with the Appalachian Water Watch program my main job was to test water quality below mines and train locals how to monitor mining-affected streams. I measured conductivity, temperature, pH and total dissolved solids using our program’s water quality probe. Conductivity and pH are the two most important measurements; both can indicate poor water quality and prompt further testing. For example, conductivity over 500 uS/cm (micro-Siemens per centimeter) can be detrimental to aquatic life and may violate the Clean Water Act’s narrative water quality criteria. Water pH below 6.0 or above 9.0 can’t support aquatic life and is unfit to consume.

(more…)

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Calendar August/September

Monday, August 13th, 2012 - posted by meghan

Floyd Country Store Traditional Appalachian Music

Thurs.-Sat. throughout summer: The Floyd Country Store, home of the Friday night Jamboree, hosts regional Appalachian music Thursdays through Sunday. Visit: floydcountrystore.com


Holler in the Holler 2012


Aug. 10-12: An annual music and arts festival in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Enjoy a variety of music from bluegrass to jazz, as well as many other activities such as workshops and even hula hooping. Ticket prices vary. HomeGrown Hideaways, Berea, Ky. For more information, or to purchase tickets visit: homegrownhideaways.org

Earth Sabbath Celebration

Aug. 13, 7 p.m.: Step out of your hectic life into a joyful celebration of the mystery and meaning of the universe. A time for community with people caring for creation. Open and free to the public. Asheville, N.C. For more info, contact: Jean Larson, Larson_Jean@hotmail.com.

Stand up that Mountain

Aug. 23, 6:30 p.m.: Presentation by author, Jay Leutze on his novel, “Stand Up That Mountain: The Battle to Save One Small Community in the Wilderness Along the Appalachian Trail.” Reception and book signing afterwards. Catawba College, Salisbury, N.C. More information and registration: centerfortheenvironment.org.

Music on the Mountaintop

Aug 24-26: Join Appalachian Voices at this annual music festival featuring 15 diverse bands in the beautiful Grandfather Mountain area of the Appalachian Mountains. This festival has given $12,000 back to local non-profit organizations, AIRE, Appalachian Voices, and Mountain Alliance. General Admission $99. Single day tickets available as well. Grandfather Mountain Campground, N.C. Visit: musiconthemountaintop.
com

Outdoor KnoxFest

Aug 24-26: A three-day outdoor festival benefiting Legacy Parks Foundation. For the adventurous outdoor lovers. Events include the 3 Day Anglers Carp Cup, the Urban Trail Race, Bike and Boat Rentals and more. Rates and registration at active.com. Knoxville, Tenn. Visit: outdoorknoxville.com.

Clear Creek Festival

Aug. 31 & Sept. 1-2: A homecoming for you and yours over Labor Day weekend. The stage will be graced with great artists, healing and rejuvenation in a family-friendly, loving environment. Rockcastle County, Ky. Visit: clearcreekfest.org

Beech Mountain Mile High Kite Festival

Sept. 2, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.: A great tradition with lots of color and fun activities for kids of all ages. There will be a kite decorating station,
kite store, flying competition, face painting,
food and craft vendors. Free event, the first 300 children 12 and under will receive a free kite. Free parking. Beech Mountain, N.C. Visit:beechmtn.com

Terrapin Hill Harvest Festival

Sept. 7-9: Music festival featuring a wide spectrum of musical styles by over 20 bands, food and craft vendors, kids playground, fire dancers, bonfires, and family camping. Weekend pass $90 in advance, $110 at the gate. $5 per vehicle parking fee. Free camping next to your vehicle. Harrodsburg, Ky. Visit: terrapinhillfarm.com/festival

Organic Gardening Workshop

Sept. 8: All-day workshop on organic gardening. Subjects covered will include: composting, growing in raised beds, lasagna gardening, cold frames winter gardening, beneficial insect promotion, mulching, gardening by the moon and more. Registration deadline: Sept. 1. Visit: ForestRetreats.net

Wellness and Water: Health Impacts of Fossil Fuel Extraction

Sept. 8: Conference sponsored by OVEC and the WV Chapter of the Sierra Club. Speaker Wilma Subra, workshops and panels with impacted residents, and experts including Dr. Ben Stout and Dr. Michael Hendryx. Registration begins at 8 a.m. $10 suggested donation. Morgantown First Presbyterian Church, W.Va. Contact Robin Blakeman at robin@ohvec.org or call (304)522-0246.

West Virginia Wind Forum

Sept. 25: Tour the AES Laurel Mountain wind and energy storage facility in Elkins, W.Va. Canaan Valley Resort & Conference center, Davis, W.Va. Registration for both the forum and the AES facility tour is open at: marshall.edu/cegas/events/wvwind

Rooted in the Mountains: Valuing our Common Ground

Oct. 4-5: Designed to raise awareness of health and environmental consequences of mountaintop removal coal mining. Participants will go away with a new sense of urgency and tools to use in valuing our common ground. Western Carolina University, N.C. For more information, contact Pamela Duncan at (828)227-3926 or email pyduncan@wcu.edu

Bethel Half Marathon & 5K Race

Oct 13: This race is Bethel Rural Community Organization’s main fundraiser for the year. They are a small non-profit organization that raises money to go toward farmland and rural preservation. Haywood County, N.C. Reigster online: bethelrural.org.

Changing of the Leaves Festival

Oct 13-14: See mountaintop removal and celebrate Appalachian culture with Larry Gibson and other inspiring mountainkeepers. Kayford Mtn, W.Va. Learn more: mountainkeeper.blogspot.com

SOCM Turns 40!

Oct. 20: Help Tennesseans celebrate 40 years of SOCM (Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment) history. For more information, visit: socm.org.
Email voice@appvoices.org to be included in our Get Involved listing. Deadline for the next issue will be Sunday, Sept. 30, at 5 p.m. for events taking place between Oct. 10 and Dec. 5.

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Introducing: The Toxic 20

Friday, August 10th, 2012 - posted by Jamie G. -- AV Communications Coordinator

While it’s no shock to those of us who live in the region, the facts are now out that the coal-hungry states of the grand old Southeast are among the worst for air pollution caused by coal-fired power plants.

Just yesterday, the Natural Resources Defense Council released a special report called the “Toxic 20,” a comprehensive look at the twenty most polluted states in the nation due to coal pollution.

Unsurprisingly, ALL TEN of the Central and Southern Appalachian states (as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission) made the list, including Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Alabama.

Other Southern states include Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, Maryland and even good old Florida (although according to BBQ lore they may not actually be a Southern state).

Without further adieu, we present:

The Toxic 20

  1. Kentucky
  2. Ohio
  3. Pennsylvania
  4. Indiana
  5. West Virginia
  6. Florida
  7. Michigan
  8. North Carolina
  9. Georgia
  10. Texas
  11. Tennessee
  12. Virginia
  13. South Carolina
  14. Alabama
  15. Missouri
  16. Illinois
  17. Mississippi
  18. Wisconsin
  19. Maryland
  20. Delaware

Read the NRDC Switchboard blog post
Read the full report

Posted in Front Porch Blog | No Comments »

Largest Proposed Coal Plant in Virginia Suspended

Thursday, August 9th, 2012 - posted by mike

The Old Dominion Electric Co-op (ODEC) announced yesterday that it has suspended plans to build the largest coal-fired power plant in Virginia! While the ODEC plant was slated for construction in eastern Virginia’s Surry County, ODEC planned to fuel it with central Appalachian coal. It would have been a major contributor to mountaintop removal mining, air and water contamination, and climate change. When ODEC proposed the plant in December, 2008, it expected a quick and smooth path to securing the required zoning approvals and environmental permits, but our opposition stalled its progress. Now, in the face of overwhelming regional opposition combined with changing market conditions, ODEC has opted to cease work on the proposal.

For more than three years, Appalachian Voices’ Virginia program has led the grassroots fight against the plant in Hampton Roads, the coastal region of Virginia that already suffers from poor air quality and would receive the brunt of pollution if the plant were built. We worked closely with partner groups and extremely dedicated local residents combining tireless on-the-ground organizing with hard hitting advocacy before local governments. As a result, five localities (including Norfolk and Virginia Beach) have passed resolutions of concern or in opposition to the plant, more than 8,000 people have signed petitions opposing it, and hundreds of local residents have attended hearings to express their opposition in person.

We must continue to be vigilant and monitor ODEC. The process has only been, “suspended” and not halted. In a few years ODEC could decide to renew their efforts, though we hope the utility follows in the path of many across the county and abandons coal altogether. In the meantime the residents of Surry County, and Hampton Roads, who have spent the last three and a half years of their lives fighting this coal plant can breathe easy.

Posted in Front Porch Blog | 2 Comments »

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