RockingChair

Front Porch Blog

Updates from Appalachia

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Federal regulators shut down illegal WV coal haul road — Interior quietly reopens it at company’s request

In a whirlwind of conflicting decisions, the U.S. Department of the Interior has quietly allowed South Fork Coal Company to resume hauling coal through the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia — just weeks after Biden administration regulators shut down the unlawful haul road.

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Clintwood JOD sediment pond that is full of mining waste, making it unable to properly catch sediment, resulting in black water entering Big Creek and the Levisa Fork. Photo courtesy of Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet.

Clintwood JOD cited for black water spill upstream of Fishtrap Lake in Pike County, Kentucky

Clintwood JOD, a coal mining company operating in Kentucky and Virginia, has been cited by Kentucky regulators for releasing polluted, black water into Big Creek and the Levisa Fork from coal mines in Pike County.

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small Appalachian downtown on a sunny day

The importance of sustained investment in our Appalachian communities

Appalachian communities have been putting funding from two major federal laws to good use, adopting more sustainable and resilient forms of energy. Read about how recent executive orders and proposals from Congress could impact these popular programs.

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Jan. 10: National Cut Your Energy Costs Day

Make your home energy efficient to save money by lowering your power bills!

You can soften the blow of ApCo’s rate increases by making a plan to improve the energy efficiency of your home and taking advantage of the tax incentives currently available.

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Map credit: Matt Hepler, Appalachian Voices Source: Analysis of public records data received from Department of Labor, October 28, 2024

New map hints at scale of black lung crisis

Using data from the Department of Labor, we’ve created a map that hints at the scale of the black lung crisis.

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