Written by Willie Dodson
Willie Dodson
A Virginia native who now splits his time between Johnson City, Tenn., and Wise County, Va., Willie has organized with environmental and social justice campaigns in the region for more than a decade. He is Appalachian Voices' Central Appalachian Field Coordinator.
Alpha Natural Resources wants to use Coal River Mountain as a tire dump
The case of Republic Energy makes it clear that the deck is still stacked in favor of the coal industry. But that has never dissuaded Coal River Mountain Watch from challenging the industry and the agencies that enable it.
Coal River Mountain is not a dump
Proposed revisions to the Collins Fork Permit do not meet any reclamation standards set forth to restore ecosystems, forests or garner resources for the community.
Mine Violations Continue in Raleigh County, WV
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection issued a notice of violation to the operators of Collins Fork Surface Mine in February.
Opposition to Proposed Tennessee Mountaintop Removal Mine
Kopper Glo Mining is seeking a second permit to release pollution from its nearly 1,500-acre proposed Claiborne County, Tenn., strip mine into public waterways. Attendees at a public hearing voiced a number of concerns.
Massive mountaintop removal mine threatens Clearfork Valley
The Clearfork Valley of Tennessee has been intensely surface-mined going back decades. Now, Kopper Glo Mining is moving forward with a nearly 1,500-acre mountaintop removal mine on nearby Cooper Ridge.
Keeping the mountain in Coal River Mountain
Local groups like Coal River Mountain Watch and Kanawha Forest Coalition are critical to protecting communities living near mountaintop removal mines in West Virginia. Appalachian Voices is helping them monitor mining activities and permits.
Southwest Virginians speak out against Doe Branch Mine
“God gave us the water so we can stay clean, and so we can drink it. I don’t want poison in the water.” Those are the words of 6-year-old Levi Marney, spoken to representatives of the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy at a public meeting about the proposed Doe Branch mountaintop removal mine in Haysi.
West Virginia files Clean Water Act suit against Kanawha County mine
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has brought a lawsuit against Keystone Industries over Clean Water Act violations at the KD #2 surface mine in southern Kanawha County, W.Va., adjacent to the Kanawha State Forest.
Appalachia’s stream health in the balance
“I can remember swimming, fishing, and camping on the Powell River. I can also remember times when those activities were not possible due to mining in the Powell River’s watershed that had devastated the ecosystem, wiping out fish populations and polluting the water to the point that it was unhealthy to swim in. My hope is that the Stream Protection Rule will ensure our rivers and streams are healthy for all the life that depends on them – including us.” — Adam Malle’s testimony to OSMRE on the Stream Protection Rule
Citizen stories counter coal industry deception
Citizens and clean water advocates used a series of hearings on the proposed Stream Protection Rule to demand improvements to the draft version and call out state agencies for repeatedly failing to enforce regulations already on the books. Coal industry representatives, on the other hand, relied on “war on coal” rhetoric and deception to rally against the rule.
