Virginia is one of only seven states that doesn’t protect residents from getting their power or water shut off over unpaid bills during extreme weather. State legislators aim to change that in the 2023 General Assembly session.
Blog Archives
Virginia legislators must take utility shutoff protections seriously this winter
TAGS: disconnection protections energy burden energy justice power bills utility disconnection utility shutoff Virginia General Assembly Water Justice
Utility disconnection protections: Let’s make it permanent
Shutting off electricity and other vital utilities of families who can’t afford their bills is unjust. During a pandemic, it’s barbaric. Appalachian Voices offers solutions.
TAGS: covid Dominion Energy electric bills energy burden energy democracy Environmental Justice utility shutoffs
NC public interest groups urge Gov. Cooper to immediately suspend evictions, utility shutoffs
Raleigh, N.C. — A coalition of racial justice, housing, low-income and conservation groups today sent a letter to Governor Roy Cooper urging him to institute an immediate emergency moratorium on housing evictions and electricity, gas and water shutoffs to prevent…
TAGS: coronavirus covid Duke Energy energy burden energy democracy Environmental Justice evictions governor cooper moratorium shutoffs utilities
Funding to assist NC families with rent, utilities during Covid runs out today
CONTACT: Rory McIlmoil, Appalachian Voices, rory@appvoices.org, (423) 433-9415 Jovita Lee, Center for Biological Diversity, jlee@biologicaldiversity.org, (919) 925-2486 As of 6 pm today, the roughly $175 million allocated for Governor Roy Cooper’s HOPE program — which has provided financial relief for…
TAGS: cooper coronavirus covid Duke Energy energy burden energy democracy North Carolina shutoff utility
TVA’s Covid relief fund should be a starting point
We’ve joined dozens of organizations to demand that TVA provide funding for a moratorium on electricity shutoffs in the region and debt relief for families struggling from Covid-related economic hardship.
TAGS: covid electric energy burden energy democracy moratorium shut-off shutoff Tennessee Valley Authority TVA
Energy cost hike would burden N.C. families
The Covid and economic crisis has laid bare the monthly struggle too many Americans have faced for a long time — whether to pay their electric bill or buy other essentials like food, medicine or school supplies and risk having their power shut off.
TAGS: Duke Energy electric bill energy burden energy democracy NCUC North Carolina rate hike shut-off shutoff utilities
One million N.C. households at risk of losing electricity and water during pandemic
CONTACT: Rory McIlmoil, Sr. Energy Analyst, Appalachian Voices, rory@appvoices.org, (423) 433-9415 Al Ripley, Director, Consumer, Housing and Energy Project, NC Justice Center, al@ncjustice.org, (919) 274-8245 William Barber, III, Environmental Justice Committee Co-Chair, NC Poor People’s Campaign, william.barber.iii@gmail.com, (202) 567-6800 Maria…
TAGS: cooper covid Duke Energy energy burden energy democracy Environmental Justice North Carolina shut-off shutoff utility
Utility affordability in the time of Coronavirus
Equitable access to affordable water and energy services — fundamental to human well-being and public health — has been a significant though largely unseen problem for decades. Then Covid struck.
TAGS: coronavirus covid electricity energy burden energy democracy moratorium shut offs shutoffs utilities
Promoting equity in the transition to clean energy
A new report examines the economic, social and health disparities associated with energy development, and highlights promising points of intervention to reduce inequities in the transition to clean energy.
Va should expand utility shutoff ban during Covid-19 crisis
CONTACT: Peter Anderson, Senior Program Manager Virginia, 434-293-6373, peter@appvoices.org Rory McIlmoil, Senior Energy Analyst, 828-262-1500, rory@appvoices.org Appalachian Voices sent a letter today to the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) urging the commissioners to extend and strengthen the existing moratorium on…
