Grassroots advocacy for clean energy, strong communities and a healthy environment
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Clean energy
We work to end harmful fossil fuel practices, shift to clean, 21st-century energy sources, and stand up to monopoly utility practices that put profits over people.
Healthy environment
We leverage grassroots organizing, community engagement, policy advocacy and technical expertise to protect the land, air and water of Central and Southern Appalachia.
Strong communities
We envision an Appalachia with healthy ecosystems and resilient local economies that allow communities to thrive.
Congress should be working to tighten laws to protect our health and safety, not preserving the status quo or making it easier to put our communities at risk.
ABOUT APP VOICES
Appalachian Voices has been the region’s grassroots advocate for healthy communities and environmental protection for over 20 years, and a leading force in Appalachia’s shift from fossil fuels to clean energy and a just future.
WHERE WE WORK
Our work is concentrated in the five-state section of Central and Southern Appalachia.
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Offices
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Key Focus States
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Appalachian Region
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Stories from 
‘First Line of Defense’
During Hurricane Helene and its aftermath, rural fire departments and other first responder hubs played critical roles in keeping their communities safe, even without power and cut off from outside support for days or weeks after the storm. Two years later, plenty of work remains to ensure these hubs have the resources they need to operate day to day and be ready when emergencies or natural disasters strike.
The Rocky Road — and Bridge — to Recovery
Hurricane Helene is estimated to have damaged nearly 7,000 private roads and bridges in Western North Carolina. Two years later, many restoration projects are complete, but the journey hasn’t been easy — and isn’t over for others.
After 20 Years, Letcher County Prison Proposal Is Still Alive, Though Obstacles Remain
A $605 million proposal for a federal prison on a former strip mine site in Letcher County, Kentucky, championed by U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, refuses to die, despite local opposition, a lack of support from the executive branch and numerous other obstacles.
The Washout and Rebuild
For nearly two years, residents of Unicoi County, Tennessee, have had to make do without a hospital after Hurricane Helene destroyed the rural hospital. Ballad Health, which owns the hospital, broke ground on a new location — in another floodplain — in August 2026.
The Shenandoah Salamander
The Shenandoah salamander is a woodland salamander, which has adapted to life at higher elevations away from water. This sparkling rarity lives among the dry leaves, cracked logs, and stony hillocks on the highest peaks of Shenandoah National Park.
‘Foraging Is a Way of Connecting’
Foraging has experienced a modern resurgence, partly because of social media, online groups, the pandemic and people wanting to connect with nature. It also builds community, whether in person or online.