Press Releases
Appalachian Voices receives EPA grant for community air monitoring project
Appalachian Voices has received $118,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to fund the Upper South and Appalachia Citizen Air Monitoring Project.
Read MoreBacked by bipartisan momentum, STREAM Act advocates urge leadership to advance legislation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 16, 2022 Contact: Trey Pollard, trey@pollardcommunications.com, 202-904-9187 READ THE LETTER APPALACHIA — With the clock ticking down on the current session of Congress, 87 organizations are urging leadership of both parties to not miss an opportunity to score a bipartisan win for coal communities all over the country by getting the…
Read MoreScorecards rate rural electric cooperatives in Virginia
A scorecard released today by Appalachian Voices reveals that rural electric cooperatives in the Southeast need critical reform to ensure they are operating according to good governance standards and providing clean energy programs to their members. The new scorecards build on a previous project, and find that while Virginia’s electric co-ops have made some reforms and are leading the region, there is still room for improvement.
Read MoreScorecards rate rural electric cooperatives in Tennessee
Today, advocacy organizations across seven southeastern states released scorecards that examine the policies and programs of the region’s rural electric cooperatives across a number of areas, including governance, transparency, energy efficiency, member access to renewable energy and other factors. Though no co-op across seven states scored more than 65 out of 100 total points, co-ops in Tennessee achieved an average score of 28 points.
Read MoreScorecards rate rural electric cooperatives in North Carolina
Today, Appalachian Voices released scorecards examining how electric cooperatives in North Carolina measured up across a number of areas, including governance, transparency, energy efficiency, member access to clean energy and other factors. The results showed that the majority of the 26 co-ops in North Carolina impose significant barriers for customer-members to participate in the democratic governance of their co-ops, while only a few offer services or supportive policies to help members lower their electric bills.
Read MoreResearch reveals gaps in Virginia’s utility shutoff policies
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 14, 2022 CONTACT Emily Piontek, (314) 562-2341, emily@appvoices.org Charlottesville, Va. — Today, Appalachian Voices released a white paper on the state of utility shutoff policies in Virginia. Policies to govern water, gas and electric utility shutoffs during extreme weather conditions, including high- and- low temperatures, are not codified in state law,…
Read MoreSoutheast Regional Scorecard release will grade rural electric cooperatives on democratic governance, clean energy policy and more
On Nov. 16, organizations from Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia will release scorecards examining how electric cooperatives in their states measured up across a number of areas.
Read MoreNew film highlights Southwest Virginia change-makers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Nov. 9, 2022 CONTACT: Jan Canterbury, (703) 314-3996, nutzynomad@gmail.com NORTON, Va. — The key questions posed in the new documentary “Change-makers of the SWVA Coalfields,” are deeply felt: Can we really revitalize Southwest Virginia? How can we break down barriers to transform this proud and productive region into one that offers good-paying…
Read MorePeople’s Energy Plan listening and info session, Charlotte, NC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 4, 2022 CONTACT Maddy Koch, North Carolina Field Coordinator, (828) 773-4781, maddy@appvoices.org Charlotte, N.C. — Appalachian Voices and Action for the Climate Emergency (ACE) will host a listening and information session on North Carolina energy in Charlotte on Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. The event is part of our People’s Energy…
Read MoreParties reach agreement on offshore wind project with significant customer cost protections
CONTACT Tasha Durrett, SELC Communications Manager, (434) 977-4090, tdurrett@selcva.org Dan Radmacher, Media Specialist, (540) 798-6683), dan@appvoices.org CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — Today the Office of the Attorney General’s Division of Consumer Counsel, Dominion Energy, Walmart, the Sierra Club and Appalachian Voices filed a settlement proposal with Virginia’s State Corporation Commission, ending months-long debate regarding the funding and…
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