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DEQ’s “Do Not Drink” reversal elevates coal ash concerns
State officials in North Carolina owe citizens an apology and an explanation. The state Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Health and Human Services are walking back their own recommendations that families living near coal ash ponds not drink or cook using well water containing levels of toxic substances that exceed their own standards.
Read MoreDEQ flip-flops on drinking water safety
PRESS STATEMENT For immediate release, March 8, 2016 At a meeting in Lee County yesterday, officials at the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality and N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reversed their previous position and told citizens their well water was safe to drink despite elevated levels of certain contaminants associated with coal ash.…
Read MoreResponding to “Appalachia’s Distress”
Over the weekend, a letter by our Executive Director Tom Cormons to the editors of The New York Times appeared on the newspaper’s website. It was penned in part to stress the importance of the Stream Protection Rule and to urge federal regulators to stand firm in the face of industry opposition, and finalize it.
Read MoreFarming and Fracking
How uncertain property rights affect agriculture in West Virginia By Dave Walker This year will be Steve Vortigern and his wife Sunshine’s tenth year of farming in Preston County, W.Va. On 41 acres, they grow more than 40 different varieties of organic vegetables and raise grass-fed beef for local customers at Round Right Farm. In…
Read MoreVirginia’s Clean Power Plan approach unchanged after court’s action
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe stated that Virginia will “stay the course” and continue working to reduce carbon pollution after the U.S. Supreme Court hit pause on the Clean Power Plan. But there’s still more that we’re counting on Governor McAuliffe to deliver.
Read MoreOwning the Mountains: Appalachia’s history of corporate control
By Elizabeth E. Payne Throughout the history of the United States, Appalachia has attracted the attention of outside investors hoping to profit from the region’s valuable commodities. First timber, then coal and now natural gas are all highly valued. To ensure access to these resources, early investors bought large parcels of land in Appalachia. “By…
Read MoreFracked-gas Pipelines Would Threaten Homes and Dreams
A Tale of Two Families By Cat McCue At the top of Sinking Creek Mountain in western Virginia, where Craig, Giles and Montgomery counties meet, sits a 50-acre parcel of land with views in all directions. To Judy and Steve Hodges, who built their dream home here in 2003, it’s heaven. “We’re from the ‘70s.…
Read MoreBlasted: Homeowners near mine seek recourse for property damage
Karen and Jerry Kirk live in a home that they believe was damaged during blasting for a nearby surface mine. Despite years of frustration, they have been unable to get compensation for the damage to their property.
Read MoreEnvironmental Votetracker – Feb/March 2016
See how Appalachian congressional representatives voted on several environmental issues in December 2015 and January 2016.
Read MoreScientists Review to EPA Fracking Report
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Science Advisory Board raised questions about the scientific basis of a report by the agency on fracking.
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