Written by Dan Radmacher
Dan Radmacher
Dan is Appalachian Voice's Media Specialist. Previously, he worked as an opinion journalist for newspapers in Illinois, West Virginia, Florida and Virginia, and then as a communications consultant for a number of environmental nonprofit organizations.
Wins and losses in the 2023 Virginia General Assembly session
Even with the short session, Appalachian Voices’ capitol team had a lot to keep track of, with a number of bills we were hoping to convince legislators to support — and quite a few we were hoping to convince them to vote down.
Statement from Appalachian Voices on U.S. Fish and Wildlife biological opinion for Mountain Valley Pipeline
Today, for the third time, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a Biological Opinion and Incidental Take Statement for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, one of several authorizations necessary under federal law to allow construction of the project.
CDC shares new research: For miners, death rate from lung disease is higher than ever before
On Monday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared a new study that sounds a clear alarm bell to leaders across the country about the dire need for a renewed focus on safeguarding the health of coal miners across the country.
As comment deadlines come to a close, more than 40,000 voice opposition to new Mountain Valley Pipeline federal permits
In response to the U.S. Forest Service’s intention to break 11 of its own rules for the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline, over 30,000 individuals and organizations submitted their opposition to the agency’s plan ahead of a February 21 deadline.
Bipartisan bill prohibiting the use of cyanide in mining heads to House of Delegates for consideration
HB 1722, a bill that would prohibit the use of cyanide in industrial mineral mining operations, was reported with overwhelming bipartisan support to the full House of Delegates by the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee.
Community groups and A&G Coal Corporation reach settlement on coal mine reclamation
Today, Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards, Appalachian Voices and the Sierra Club announced a settlement with A&G Coal Corporation, owned by the family of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, to help ensure the reclamation of three large surface coal mines in Wise County, Virginia.
EPA 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.
Carbon Plan must account for affordability
Yesterday evening, the North Carolina Utilities Commission approved several measures to lower carbon emissions in North Carolina. The commission chose to focus on short term plans and therefore not pick any single portfolio or generation mix, the plan falls far short of what the law that started this process allowed and what could have been accomplished.