Written by Kevin Ridder
Kevin Ridder
Born in Arizona and raised in Tennessee, Kevin’s love of the mountains drove him to move even further east to Boone, N.C., where he serves as The Appalachian Voice's Associate Editor and a communications associate for the organization.
TVA Considers Replacing Coal with Another Fossil Fuel
The Tennessee Valley Authority is deciding whether to replace its coal-fired power plants with gas or with renewable resources. Advocates are calling on the Senate to confirm four new TVA board nominees.
Southwest Virginians Share Solar Experiences
Two people and one organization based in Southwest Virginia tell their solar stories.
Knoxville Community Group Calls for Affordable Utilities
The Knoxville Water and Energy for All Campaign aims to address unaffordable utility bills and disconnections in the city.
N.C. Legislators Release Controversial Energy Bill
N.C. House Republicans unsuccessfully proposed a bill after months of secret negotiations with Duke Energy and others that would have cleared the way for multi-year rate hikes, a massive build-out of natural gas infrastructure and more.
Agencies Weigh Mountain Valley Pipeline Water Crossing Permits
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected to make a decision on a key Clean Water Act certification for the fracked-gas pipeline by the end of June as Virginia and West Virginia consider stream crossing permits.
Bringing Shared Solar to Southwest Virginia
Shared or community solar can be a good way to experience the benefits of solar without a high upfront cost. But customers of Appalachian Power in Southwest Virginia are still prohibited by state law from installing shared solar arrays.
N.C. Upholds MVP Southgate Permit Denial
The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality again rejected a permit for Mountain Valley Pipeline’s proposed extension into the state. MVP also announced another delay and cost increase for the 300-mile fracked-gas pipeline.
N.C. Families Contend With Mounting Bills
Faced with the threat of utility disconnection and even eviction in the pandemic, many North Carolinians are forced to decide between essentials.
N.C. Advocates Call for State Action on Rent, Utility Assistance
In March 8 letters to state officials, activists said that hundreds of thousands of struggling families in North Carolina will remain at risk of eviction and utility shut-offs if further action is not taken before the end of the month.
An Experiment in Revitalizing Old Mine Sites
A federal grant program aims to bring economic opportunity to long-abandoned mine lands. But as some sites are seeing progress, others are finding more obstacles.
