Friday, October 23rd, 2015 | Posted by Erin Savage | No Comments
While the draft Stream Protection Rule is far from perfect, it is a long overdue update to protections for surface and groundwater from mountaintop removal coal mining. Not surprisingly, the coal industry had relied on “war on coal” talking points to fight against the rule, and claims these protections are unnecessary and will undermine an otherwise viable industry. Let’s examine those claims.
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Tuesday, October 6th, 2015 | Posted by Tarence Ray | No Comments
Local newspapers in Kentucky have helped expose state regulators' lax treatment of industry, most recently in the form of a secretive deal stuck with an oil company responsible for polluting drinking water supplies. But sadly, Kentucky's politicians and agencies aren't shy in revealing whose interests they truly serve either. [
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Tuesday, September 22nd, 2015 | Posted by Willie Dodson | No Comments
Citizens and clean water advocates used a series of hearings on the proposed Stream Protection Rule to demand improvements to the draft version and call out state agencies for repeatedly failing to enforce regulations already on the books. Coal industry representatives, on the other hand, relied on "war on coal" rhetoric and deception to rally against the rule. [
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Thursday, August 20th, 2015 | Posted by Tarence Ray | 1 Comment
What would a health care executive-turned-environmentalist want with the dying business of mining coal? That’s the question some are asking after the announcement that a Virginia environmentalist plans to acquire assets, and assume around $400 million in liabilities, from recently-bankrupt Patriot Coal. [
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Friday, August 7th, 2015 | Posted by Jamie Goodman | No Comments
Alpha Natural Resources, one of the largest coal mining companies in the United States and a big player in the Appalachian coal market, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday of this week, blaming "an unprecedented period of distress with increased competition from natural gas, an oversupply in the global coal market, historically low prices due to weaker international and domestic economies, and increasing government regulation that has pushed electric utilities to transition away from coal-fired power plants. [
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Thursday, July 30th, 2015 | Posted by Tarence Ray | No Comments
A striking case of corruption related to mine inspections in Kentucky led to the recent criminal conviction of former Democratic state representative Keith Hall. But questions remain about how deep the conspiracy goes. Will Governor Steve Beshear and the state agencies that enforce mining laws in Kentucky adequately investigate? [
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Wednesday, July 15th, 2015 | Posted by Erin Savage | No Comments
Last week, the U.S. Energy Information Administration pointed to a steep decline in coal produced by mountaintop removal mining. But
a closer examination of the data calls into question the adequacy of the legal definition of “mountaintop removal” and, more importantly, demonstrates that much more work is needed to truly end destructive mining practices in Central Appalachia. [
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Thursday, July 9th, 2015 | Posted by Cat McCue | 2 Comments
In 2013, federal funds derived from a per-ton fee on mined coal were distributed to Central Appalachia states for restoring abandoned mine lands. The result was $182 million in economic benefit and 1,317 jobs--plus cleaner streams, and a healthier future for nearby residents. A new report out shows how the federal program should be fixed to yield even better results, and sooner. [
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Wednesday, July 8th, 2015 | Posted by Adam Wells | 1 Comment
Earlier this summer, our friends at Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards celebrated the defeat of a proposed mountaintop removal mine along Ison Rock Ridge in Southwest Virginia. But although the imminent threat of mining is past, the land on Ison Rock Ridge is still owned by an absentee landholding company in the business of leasing out tracts to coal operators for mountaintop removal. [
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Tuesday, July 7th, 2015 | Posted by Brian Sewell | No Comments
The U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA) published a blog post today showing that coal produced by mountaintop removal mining in Central Appalachia decreased by 62 percent between 2008 and 2014. Demand for Central Appalachian coal will continue to decline, making further progress inevitable. But we won't end mountaintop removal by relying on the market alone.
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Tuesday, June 9th, 2015 | Posted by Brian Sewell | No Comments
From The Appalachian Voice Online: Yet another aspect of the financial perils facing U.S. coal companies is coming into full view. As even some of the nation's largest coal producers run the risk of caving under their debts, regulators and analysts are voicing urgent concerns about cash-strapped companies' ability to pay for reclamation land after mining. [
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Thursday, June 4th, 2015 | Posted by Thom Kay | 1 Comment
It’s rare that Appalachians have their voices heard in Congress. But twice in the past month, residents have had the opportunity to testify about mountaintop removal mining at two different U.S. House hearings. The lesson we learned? Congress does not want to help end mountaintop removal and they’d prefer not to hear about it.
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