Written by Contributing Writers

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Contributing Writers

Members of JEPC watch the mayor sign the declaration in an office

Young Black Leaders Steer the Way for Change in Appalachia

Organizations built to fight for equity and uplift Black lives are surging throughout Appalachia and young leaders are steering the way.

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Big Sandy Crayfish

To Stop an American Extinction Crisis, the Southeast Must Pivot Away From Fossil Fuels

One of the worst chapters of the global extinction crisis is playing out in America’s Southeast, a region that rivals the rainforests with its staggering array of aquatic biodiversity.

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Who Cleans Up Environmental Mess Bankrupt Coal Leaves Behind?

As more coal companies file for bankruptcy, it remains unclear what will happen to hundreds of thousands of acres of unreclaimed mine land in eastern Kentucky and the rest of Appalachia.

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aerial view of a church with solar panels

Solar program aids Virginia parishes, schools as environmental stewards

“It is the best of both worlds. We can save money and care for the environment,” said Father Jonathan Goertz, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Danville, one of the churches joining the effort.

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A gray and green fish carries a stone in its moth, surrounded by smaller red fish

Snorkeler Casper Cox Explores Appalachia’s Diverse Freshwater Life

Snorkeling Appalachia’s rivers and creeks puts adventurers face-to-face with a diverse and colorful array of fish.

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“Succession School” to Help Ohio’s Elder Generation of Farmers

Young farmers can have trouble accessing land, and often the direct descendants of older farmers are becoming less interested in taking up the torch. An Ohio program aims to help older farmers with the succession process.

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Public Hearing on Kentucky Utilities’ Coal Ash Cleanup Plan

Critics say a plan developed by Kentucky Utilities to address groundwater pollution from an unlined coal-ash pond seeping into Herrington Lake is inadequate.

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Man wearing face mask holds circuit board

Red Bird Mission Adds Solar

A partnership between Eastern Kentucky organizations recently brought solar panels — and substantial utility bill savings — to Red Bird Mission.

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Airborne bike rider

Trailblazers

Three projects show how mountain biking is helping shape development and protect private lands from pavement in Appalachia.

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house

Hemp Finds a Home

A hempcrete house high in the mountains of West Virginia demonstrates that industrial hemp is a viable alternative for homebuilders.

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