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Fate of Mountain Valley Pipeline’s North Carolina extension still unclear

Man and woman sit at table in front of blue backdrop

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper raised concerns about the Southgate project, which has drawn opposition from local governments and elected officials who say it threatens private property rights and tourism efforts.

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How a Pipeline Proposal Birthed a Community Movement in Middle Tennessee

Several dozen men and women gather in a brewery to watch a presentation about the Ridgeline Pipeline Expansion project in Middle Tennessee.

A proposed pipeline expansion project that would cut through several Middle Tennessee counties birthed a grassroots movement aimed at stopping it, as TVA plans yet another fossil fuel buildout.

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Landfill Remediation Raises New Concerns

An older woman and man stand at a podium, with people seated on either side. Photo is taken from the perspective of an audience member several rows from the stage

As remediation of the troubled Bristol landfill begins, community advocates are petitioning for an alert system, increased air quality monitoring and relief measures for residents who experience strong airborne pollution at home.

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Northern Long-Eared Bats Added to Endangered Species List

bat head and wings

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently classified northern long-eared bats as endangered, which could help save the species most impacted by the deadly fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome.

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Are We Really Recycling?

pile of empty plastic and aluminum containers

A look at our recycling systems reveals less of our plastic is actually being recycled than one might think.

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Clearing the Air on How Wood Pellet Factories Affect Their Neighbors and the Climate

aerial view of the Sampson wood pellet plant

The wood pellet industry is growing in the American South, but communities near wood pellet plants are seeing damages to air and water quality. As new facility proposals from wood pellet companies like Enviva continue, local residents and regional climate activists are speaking out.

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Turning Coal Ash into Art

Woman points to location on a map.

In Walnut Cove — a community whose history has been tainted by coal ash for decades — The Lilies Project has turned coal ash into art, and is expanding to encompass the town’s story beyond coal ash.

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Bills Aim to Help Miners with Black Lung and Surviving Family Access Benefits

A painting of boots, a hat and other gear used by coal miners.

Miners with black lung disease face a difficult process to obtain modest benefits, as do their widows. Two bills in Congress aim to help miners with the disease and their bereaved families, including by tying benefit levels to inflation.

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Fighting for Black Lung Benefits for Miners and Families

A woman poses next to her husband with her arm around his shoulders.

Kathryn South’s husband, Mike South, was diagnosed with black lung disease at age 35. As they grappled with his disease, the couple also navigated the arduous legal process to obtain federal black lung benefits, a fight that Kathryn continued even after Mike’s passing.

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The Root that Shaped a Region

smiling man crouches near ginseng plants in the forest

Luke Manget, author of the book “Ginseng Diggers: A History of Root and Herb Gathering in Appalachia,” discusses the complex and impactful history of ginseng and root digging.

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