Monthly Archives: July 2014

Science vs. Mining

Over 2,000 miles of streams have been buried by Mountain Top Removal mining, and many more have been degraded. This seems like it should be illegal, but the destructive practice continues. That’s why Appalachian Voices has been working to keep the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and industry from opening up new loopholes in our environmental laws that would make it easier to poison streams.

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Obama pulls the plug on mountaintop removal study

blastingWhen President Obama first took office, he made a commitment that his agencies would always act on what the science dictated. I guess the way around taking actions, then, is to stop the science from ever being completed.

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Join us as we defend “Our Water, Our Future”

App-Rising-Mosaic-Donna-sqFive years ago, the Obama Administration made a promise to take measures to protect the people, waters, and mountains of Appalachia from the dangerous impacts of mountaintop removal mining. Well, it’s five years later, and we are done waiting for those safeguards. This September, Appalachian Voices is teaming up with other groups from the Alliance for Appalachia to ensure our communities are heard. Won’t you join us?

Is Obama’s Climate Action Plan on Track?

Picture-9Since the release of his administration’s Climate Action Plan in June 2013, has Obama made strides in developing a clean energy economy and protecting the environment? Let’s take a look at his five-pronged approach to address climate change.

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What do Duke Energy and a messy teenager have in common?

Gfp-messy-couchDuke Energy has spent six months cleaning up its Dan River coal spill, the third worst in U.S. history, and got a whopping six percent removed. And now it says the job is done. North Carolinians should not accept this — no less than most parents accept their teenagers’ excuses to clean up their rooms.

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Today, Congress has to learn about mountaintop removal

CDC_Cancer_Set2Congressional representatives have shown little interest over the past few years in talking about mountaintop removal coal mining. They’d rather lambast the EPA and the Obama Administration for any actions to protect Appalachia’s people and environment. But today, our program director, Matt Wasson, is testifying before Congress. That means members will hear about higher-than-average cancer rates and other impacts of this abominable coal mining practice.

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Great News for Clean Water in Virginia!


Last week a federal judge upheld a previous decision requiring a Virginia coal company to get a permit for their discharges of toxic selenium.

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Hey Duke Energy – Buy a Bigger Dump Truck!

dumptruck
Duke Energy and its army of lobbyists apparently have convinced N.C. lawmakers that it’s just too expensive to clean up all of its leaking coal ash dumps. The company’s argument is based on an assumption that it would take 30 years to remove the ash from JUST ONE SITE. “What??” I hear you ask incredulously. So let’s take a deeper look at that …

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Activists gather at “Home of the Brave” on 4th of July

Mountaintop_Removal_WV_2014_282 Appalachian Voices’ Amy Adams travels to W.Va. for an annual Independence Day event at Kayford Mountain, one of the areas hardest hit by mountaintop removal mining. She joins scores of others in mourning for the mountains lost, but also celebrating the spirit and resolve of those fighting to end the destructive practice.

The Power of Energy Efficiency — Building a Stronger Economy for Appalachia (Part 5)

EE_seriesTapping into Appalachia’s vast potential for energy efficiency will help to alleviate poverty and create local jobs while reducing the environmental impact associated with our energy use. In fact, energy efficiency may be the most vital solution to Appalachia’s energy and economic future.

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