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.
FERC Rejects Coal, Nuclear Subsidies
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission unanimously voted to reject U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry’s plan to subsidize struggling coal and nuclear plants.
Southwest Virginia High School Robotics Team Shines with Solar
Ridgeview High School’s robotics team “Squatch Watch” won several awards using solar-powered robots.
Trump Announces Tariffs on Solar Panels
President Trump imposed a four-year, 30 percent tariff on imported solar panels, in a move widely criticized by solar industry professionals.
Kingston Coal Plant Awaits New Wastewater Permit
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is considering a draft wastewater permit for the Kingston Fossil Plant that wouldn’t enforce federal guidelines on pollutants until 2023.
Hydropower Storage: All it’s pumped up to be?
Recent Virginia legislation has made pumped storage energy projects much more appealing to energy companies — and while Dominion Energy’s proposed project could potentially reuse abandoned mine lands, it could also permanently mar the landscape.
Turning Trash into Fuel
Using gasification can turn waste products like wood and chicken manure into energy and produce a useful agricultural byproduct — but opponents raise concerns about air pollution.
Pipelines Clear Hurdles, Face Resistance
While the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines have obtained approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, they still face widespread opposition.
Weeklong Warehouse Fire Raised Air Quality Concerns
A warehouse storing plastics and unknown materials burned for roughly eight days in Parkersburg, W.Va.
EPA holds lone hearing on Clean Power Plan repeal
By holding only one public hearing for the proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan, Scott Pruitt is once again working against the EPA’s mission of protecting human health and the environment.
