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The 5 Worst Political Lies in Support of Mountaintop Removal
Part 5 in a 5 part series Lie 5: Mountaintop removal mining is necessary for our nation’s energy security. While coal is in perpetual decline, more than one-third of America’s electricity still comes from the fossil fuel. It is on this premise that supporters of mountaintop removal stand when arguing that the practice is necessary…
Read MoreKentucky Congressman John Yarmuth Joins Influential Energy and Commerce Committee
Kentucky Congressman John Yarmuth joined the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce this week, putting him in the middle of debates concerning environmental and energy policy. The committee will also oversee the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Yarmuth voted for Obamacare, and has been its lone defender in Kentucky’s federal delegation. Yarmuth is…
Read MoreThe 5 Worst Political Lies in Support of Mountaintop Removal
Part 4 in a 5 part series Lie 4: More mountaintop removal coal mining will provide much needed flat, reclaimed land for economic development. Central Appalachia has been mired in a mono-economy for the greater part of a century. In many counties, coal mining has been the only source of good paying jobs. Mining jobs…
Read MoreWielding New Power for Virginia
I want my three children to grow up in a world where the water is safe to drink, the air is safe to breathe, and the beauty of our natural heritage remains intact. We can achieve this only through making major investments in clean energy, which also provides more jobs, saves money and leads to…
Read MoreThe 5 Worst Political Lies in Support of Mountaintop Removal
Part 3 in a 5 part series 3. A candidate opposed to mountaintop removal cannot win a U.S. Senate race in Kentucky or West Virginia. Despite what political supporters of the coal industry would have us believe, a candidate opposed to mountaintop removal coal mining can, and likely will, represent Kentucky or West Virginia in…
Read MoreMountaintop Removal in a Nutshell: Tremendous Environmental Capital Spent for Modest Energy Gains
We talk a lot about the external costs of mountaintop removal. And by understanding the true costs that coal puts off on the landscapes, water and communities of Central Appalachia, it’s abundantly clear that the costs far outweigh the benefits to all but a few. But still we hear arguments about the need for a…
Read MoreAnother Clean Water Win! No More Sludge in the Ohio River
Here’s some good news for your Thursday — a Kentucky court ruled in favor of clean water in a landmark case that will protect the Ohio River from being further polluted by coal waste. The ruling comes just in time for a nationwide revision to a 30-year-old U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guideline linked to the…
Read MoreThe 5 Worst Political Lies in Support of Mountaintop Removal
Part 2 in a 5 part series LIE 2: ECONOMY Proponents of mountaintop removal mining use a very simple and straightforward logic to justify the practice: jobs are good for the economy, and mountaintop removal mining provides jobs, therefore mountaintop removal mining is good for the economy. The argument is logical, but only if you…
Read MoreHow Far Can Touting “Sustainable Coal” Get You?
A few weeks ago, we heard of a new coal lobbying group (I know, just the thing the world needs) that aims to support something we have not heard of, something called “sustainable coal.” Formed by current and former Democratic members of the U.S House of Representatives, along with several coal lobbyists, CoalBlue aims to…
Read MoreHitting the Road to Promote New Power for the Old Dominion
Starting today, Appalachian Voices and the Wise Energy for Virginia coalition are embarking on a statewide road tour to promote New Power for the Old Dominion, a commonsense campaign to change the direction of Virginia’s energy future. Our events in Richmond and Charlottesville this week are the first stops on our tour where we’ll lay…
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