Written by Brian Sewell
Brian Sewell
Brian is an environmental news junkie concerned with our lagging energy policy and revealing the true cost of coal on our health, the environment and the climate. He is Appalachian Voices' Director of Strategic Advancement.
Don Blankenship sentence “historic,” but not enough
The coverage of Blankenship’s sentence should shift the public’s focus to the leniency and lacking enforcement of our mine safety laws. Since few observers outside of Blankenship’s defense team and the “Dark Lord of Coal Country” himself would argue the punishment fits his crime, the question then becomes: what punishment would?
DEQ’s “Do Not Drink” reversal elevates coal ash concerns
State officials in North Carolina owe citizens an apology and an explanation. The state Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Health and Human Services are walking back their own recommendations that families living near coal ash ponds not drink or cook using well water containing levels of toxic substances that exceed their own standards.
DEQ flip-flops on drinking water safety
PRESS STATEMENT For immediate release, March 8, 2016…
Responding to “Appalachia’s Distress”
Over the weekend, a letter by our Executive Director Tom Cormons to the editors of The New York Times appeared on the newspaper’s website. It was penned in part to stress the importance of the Stream Protection Rule and to urge federal regulators to stand firm in the face of industry opposition, and finalize it.
SCOTUS pauses the Clean Power Plan, for now
After a setback dealt by the U.S. Supreme Court, it’s imperative that decision makers in our region understand the opportunities presented by the Clean Power Plan rather than falsely attacking it as the cause of the coal industry’s hard times.
POWER+ Plan has a place in Obama’s final budget
This morning, President Obama sent his plan for the federal government’s expenses during fiscal year 2017 to Congress. It lays out the president’s vision for spending on everything from clean energy to cancer research. We’re happy to announce that the POWER+ Plan is included.
Abandoned mines bill directs federal investment to communities hit hardest by coal decline
Contact: Adam Wells, Economic Diversification Program Coordinator, Appalachian…
Va. leaders urge Gov. McAuliffe to reject Dominion’s climate-polluting plan
From Appalachian Voices’ Press Room: Earlier this week, a wide array of Virginia leaders released a letter asking Governor Terry McAuliffe to reject efforts by Dominion Power that would increase carbon pollution in the Commonwealth.
Do bankrupt coal company executives really deserve bonuses?
Witnessing the one-sidedness of coal bankruptcies in Appalachia and their aftershocks goes to show who has a voice and whose voices the system values. Take Alpha Natural Resources, which recently received approval to pay its executives millions in bonuses despite not having made a profit since 2011.
Bleak outlook for coal in 2016
After the dismal year coal had in 2015, more hard times for the industry are ahead. Nowhere is the struggle more real than in Central Appalachia. A new white paper from Downstream Strategies tells the story of Appalachian coal over the past few decades in five simple charts.
