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Coal Companies Point Fingers as Local Residents Contend With Flood and Home Damage

Autumn leaves dot the surface of a creek that seems to have a dark discoloration.

Geysers, dry wells, damage to buildings and strange slime in creeks have residents near Wolf Pen, West Virginia, looking for answers. Meanwhile, coal companies dodge accountability by blaming each other.

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‘Environment At Risk’ Art Exhibit Connects Art, Activism and the Natural World

A man leans over to place a hand on a fallen tree trunk.

The “Environment At Risk” art show at The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, Virginia, features 40 artists whose work confront environmental issues in deeply intimate and poetic ways through paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography and fiber art.

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Finding Higher Ground From Floods

An aerial photo shows muddy water overflowing the banks of a river and flooding a town in a Kentucky valley.

As catastrophic floods increase in frequency and severity, state governments, nonprofits and local communities have been diving into the questions surrounding flood recovery and mitigation.

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Saving the Tiny Bog Turtle Could Have a Big Impact on Conservation

a dark bog turtle with yellow markings on its neck

A petition to protect southern bog turtles under the Endangered Species Act could also help protect their mountain bog homes. But with diminishing habitat and other threats, time could run out for North America’s smallest turtles.

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Northern Long-Eared Bats Added to Endangered Species List

bat head and wings

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently classified northern long-eared bats as endangered, which could help save the species most impacted by the deadly fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome.

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Fighting for Black Lung Benefits for Miners and Families

A woman poses next to her husband with her arm around his shoulders.

Kathryn South’s husband, Mike South, was diagnosed with black lung disease at age 35. As they grappled with his disease, the couple also navigated the arduous legal process to obtain federal black lung benefits, a fight that Kathryn continued even after Mike’s passing.

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Solar Panels on Southwest Virginia Schools Signal a Diversifying Economy

A project manager in a neon vest and construction hat kneels atop the roof of the St. Paul school..

School solar projects demonstrate how Virginia’s coalfield counties are diversifying their economies and energy options with solar power.

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New Clinch River State Park Showcases Biodiversity

park sign

Supporters of Southwest Virginia’s newest state park hope that it will foster a conservation mindset and bring awareness to the Clinch River’s rich biodiversity.

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Removal of Historic Dam Aims to Restore Watauga River

dam removal

On May 16, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the Ward Mill Dam in an effort to reconnect streams across the Watauga River watershed. The B.O. Ward House and Mill Complex was preserved and added to the National Register of Historic Places.

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Virginia Gold Rush

Residents fear a dangerous open-pit gold mine will open in Buckingham County before the Virginia General Assembly acts.

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