The Front Porch Blog, with Updates from AppalachiaThe Front Porch Blog, with Updates from Appalachia

Knoxville community groups call for affordable utilities

Friday, July 2nd, 2021 | Posted by Brianna Knisley | No Comments

The Knoxville Water and Energy for All campaign is made up of community and faith groups with a mission to bring solutions to the root problems of unaffordable bills and disconnections in Knoxville. [ Read More ]


Underground mine blowout causes flood, property damage in Virginia

Tuesday, February 12th, 2019 | Posted by Willie Dodson | No Comments

Accumulated water bursting out of one of CM Mining, LLC’s operations in Hurley, VA, causes flooding and property damage in nearby neighborhood. [ Read More ]


Empowering citizens at the Water Justice Summit

Tuesday, July 10th, 2018 | Posted by Lara Mack | 2 Comments

The recent Water Justice Summit in Blacksburg, Va., brought together citizens from Central Appalachia whose water is imperiled by coal mining, fracked gas pipelines and other industrial threats to strategize, learn skills and build affinity. [ Read More ]


A summer of learning and organizing against pipelines

Thursday, July 27th, 2017 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | No Comments

This is the last day of my internship with Appalachian Voices. But even though my formal time here is over, I plan to continue fighting for clean water. [ Read More ]


Making sense of crisis: The West Virginia floods

Wednesday, July 6th, 2016 | Posted by Guest Contributor | 1 Comment

In this guest post, West Virginia resident and former coordinator of The Alliance for Appalachia Katey Lauer shares her perspective on the aftermath of the storms and the humanity she witnessed as communities come together and begin to rebuild. [ Read More ]


Citizen stories counter coal industry deception

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. [ Read More ]


Keep the Clean Water Act going strong

Thursday, June 4th, 2015 | Posted by Sandra Diaz | No Comments

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ended a decade of confusion with the release of a long-awaited Clean Water Rule, which clarifies the scope of waters that are protected under the Clean Water Act. As the EPA pursues updates to the “effluent limitation guidelines," we hope the Obama administration ready to continue the trend of strengthening and modernizing the Clean Water Act. [ Read More ]


Silas House: A Remembrance of Jean Ritchie

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2015 | Posted by Guest Contributor | 2 Comments

Jean in dulcimer shop "Kindness always lit up the face of Jean Ritchie," begins this remembrance by author Silas House of the Appalachian folk icon who died yesterday at 92. "She was a source of incredible pride for my people. Everyone I knew loved Jean Ritchie, and they especially loved the way she represented Appalachian people: with generosity and sweetness, yes. But also with defiance and strength." [ Read More ]


Appalachian Crayfish: Canaries in a Coal Mine

Tuesday, May 5th, 2015 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | 1 Comment

16382866013_a4cd6916dd_zTwo species of crayfish native to Appalachia are in danger of becoming extinct after years of suffering habitat loss and water quality impacts attributable to mountaintop removal coal mining and other industrial activity. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agency is proposing the species be listed as endangered under federal law. Whether or not they are pushed past the point of no return depends largely on the outcome of a recent proposal by the agency to add them to the federal list of endangered species. [ Read More ]


Don’t drink the water

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 | Posted by Sarah Kellogg | 3 Comments

dukeplant_averylocklear As part of coal ash law enacted in North Carolina last year, Duke Energy is required to test the well water of residents living within 1000 feet of the massive coal ash ponds that dot the state. Now, the first round of water testing results are coming back, giving residents and regulators a clear picture of just how widespread the problem is. [ Read More ]


Criminal charges filed against Duke Energy

Friday, February 20th, 2015 | Posted by Brian Sewell | 8 Comments

12311876586_dd088acae8_zThe U.S. Department of Justice has filed criminal charges against Duke Energy for violating the federal Clean Water Act at coal ash sites across North Carolina. The company announced today that it has reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors to resolve the charges that includes $102.2 million for fines and mitigation. [ Read More ]


Nothing to see here

Friday, December 5th, 2014 | Posted by Eric Chance | 1 Comment

KY_Cabinet_cartoonThe Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet's dismissive attitude toward the severity of mining pollution in the state is unsurprising after citizen cases against one coal company exposed the agency’s utter failure to enforce the Clean Water Act. But the jig is up. The Cabinet should stop trying to cover up its incompetence and actually do its job. [ Read More ]



 

 


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