Posts Tagged ‘U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’
New limits on power plant pollution aim to protect communities and the climate
New limits on power plant emissions and new community protections should prompt utilities to turn to reliable, affordable renewable energy
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a suite of new rules to limit a range of harmful pollutants from power plants, protecting the climate and human health, and pushing utilities toward cleaner, more reliable ways to meet energy demand, including investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Read MoreInvesting in what matters: Federal funding to kick off community-led resiliency projects
As spring bursts into bloom in the mountains, Appalachian Voices is officially launching Building Community Resilience in Virginia’s Coalfields, a new project funded through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Grant.
Read MoreTVA ignores warnings from federal agencies, moves forward with proposed Kingston Gas Plant
In an extremely disappointing move, the Tennessee Valley Authority issued a Record of Decision for the proposed Kingston Gas Plant, a dirty and expensive project that will hurt the climate and cost families in the Tennessee Valley millions of dollars in unnecessary costs. The new plant would also require a 122-mile pipeline.
Read MoreEPA urges TVA to revisit study on Kingston plant replacement, citing “serious deficiencies”
Yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency sent comments to the Tennessee Valley Authority highlighting “serious deficiencies” with the utility’s Final Environmental Impact Statement, or the review of power source alternatives that it is considering for the replacement of the Kingston Fossil Plant in Harriman, Tennessee.
Read MoreUpper South and Appalachia Citizen Air Monitoring Project begins data collection
With funding from the EPA, Appalachian Voices purchased dozens of PurpleAir PM sensors, and distributed these to individuals and grassroots organizations in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Pennsylvania.
Read MoreEPA poised to botch update of important air quality rule
PM 2.5 is a lethal combination of metals, organic matter, acids and other substances so tiny that they can be inhaled and delivered directly into the bloodstream. These airborne pollutants are emitted by tailpipes, power plants and numerous other industries. In our region, coal mine dust is an additional source of this pollutant.
Read MoreEPA proposes moderate improvements for public health; must do more
The proposal is a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t go nearly far enough. In Appalachia, our people are breathing fugitive mine dust and toxic emissions from numerous industries. Time and again, state regulatory practices have fallen short in curbing the impacts of these industries. Fugitive coal mine dust in particular has not been regulated in any meaningful way. EPA can and should do more to protect our health.
Read MoreMonitoring air quality across Appalachia
After a decade of focusing on water pollution from coal mining, Appalachian Voices’ coal impacts team is embarking on an ambitious project to monitor air pollution in communities impacted by coal mining and other fossil fuel infrastructure, and in other communities where air quality is an environmental justice concern.
Read MoreAppalachian Voices receives EPA grant for community air monitoring project
Appalachian Voices has received $118,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to fund the Upper South and Appalachia Citizen Air Monitoring Project.
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