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.
Legal Troubles Escalate for Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines
Construction on the Mountain Valley Pipeline continues in places, despite continued legal challenges. Atlantic Coast Pipeline construction is halted in all three states as projected costs balloon and legal troubles escalate.
Ashby Berkley
Ashby Berkley is involved in several legal disputes to stop Mountain Valley Pipeline developers from cutting his riverside property in two, but that has not stopped them from felling several trees.
Petrochemical Plants Advance
Ohio issued an air permit for a petrochemical plant in Belmont County as construction continues on Royal Dutch Shell’s ethane cracker in western Pennsylvania.
Legal Action and Protests Against Pipelines
Numerous lawsuits have led to a complete halt to construction on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and at Mountain Valley Pipeline water crossings as protests against pipelines continue to spring up.
Power to the People
In Appalachia and across the country, people are reclaiming their power from electricity monopolies that weren’t serving their needs.
Keeping Eyes on Coal’s Impact
Citizen scientists surveil water quality near active and former coal mines to hold companies accountable to the law.
Banding Together for Better Power Options
An Ohio state law has allowed hundreds of communities to choose a more affordable power supplier.
N.C. Lowers Risk Rating of Coal Ash Pits
Duke Energy may now be able to cap six toxic coal ash dumps in North Carolina in place instead of transporting the material to lined landfills after state regulators classified the dumps as “low risk.”
Virginians Petition For Change at Their Electric Co-op
Rappahannock Electric’s attempt to block members’ efforts to bring reform amendments to the ballot has sparked a legal dispute. All other Virginia electric co-ops have joined Rappahannock in opposing the members’ push for transparency.
Reform at One Southwestern Co-op Spurs Change at Another
In the Southwest, several electric cooperatives are demanding better terms and more renewables from their power provider.
