Press Releases
NC groups call for prohibition of all utility shut-offs in state due to covid-19
CONTACT: Al Ripley, Director Consumer, Housing and Energy Project NC Justice Center (919) 274-8245 al@ncjustice.org Rory McIlmoil, Senior Energy Analyst Appalachian Voices (828) 262-3385 rory@appvoices.org RALEIGH — Nearly 30 organizations serving communities across North Carolina sent a letter today commending the NC Utilities Commission for its recent order directing all utilities it regulates to immediately…
Read MoreAdvocates call on Congress for urgent action to help coal communities
CONTACT: Thom Kay, Senior Legislative Representative, thom.kay@appvoices.org Cat McCue, Senior Communications Strategist, cat@appvoices.org Washington, D.C. – More than 100 organizations have added their names to a sign-on letter urging leaders in the House of Representatives to prioritize several bills that would aid coal-impacted communities across America. These bills have stalled in Congress, despite bipartisan support…
Read MoreSolar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia seeks bids for residential Solarize program
CONTACT: Chelsea Barnes, New Economy Program Manager chelsea [at] appvoices.org, 276-679-1691 Norton, VA — The Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia today released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for partnership in the Southwest Virginia 2020 Residential Solarize Program. This program will provide solar installation services for homeowners, small businesses, and farms in the seven-county coalfield region…
Read MoreFederal report on MVP-Southgate pipeline snubs human, environmental impacts
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today published the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Mountain Valley Pipeline Southgate extension pipeline. Although considerations were incorporated from public comments, the overall conclusion of the FEIS remains the same from its draft stage. A conditional Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity is expected to follow which,…
Read MoreVirginia coalfield localities call for renewed federal funding for mine cleanup
CONTACT: Thom Kay, Senior Legislative Representative, thom.kay@appvoices.org, 864-580-1843 Cat McCue, Senior Communications Strategist, cat@appvoices.org, 434-293-6373 Norton, Va. — Seven local governments in Southwest Virginia have passed resolutions calling on the state’s congressional delegation to support federal legislation that would reauthorize funding program to reclaim abandoned coal mines. The town of Pound, in Wise County, passed…
Read MoreNorth Carolina, Duke Energy reach historic settlement on coal ash cleanup
Today, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Read MoreSen. Manchin takes new view of mountaintop removal coal mining
CONTACTS: Thom Kay, Senior Legislative Representative, thom.kay@appvoices.org, 828-262-1500 At a confirmation hearing today for the nominee to head the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation Enforcement, Sen. Joe Manchin asked nominee Lanny Erdos to commit to revive a National Academies of Sciences study on mountaintop removal coal mining and its impacts on human health. The…
Read MoreEconomic coalition identifies 19 old coal sites for cleanup and redevelopment in Central Appalachia
CONTACTS: Adam Wells, Appalachian Voices, adam@appvoices.org, 276-679-1691 Joey James, Downstream Strategies, jjames@downstreamstrategies.com, 304-322-4590 Rebecca Shelton, Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center, rshelton@aclc.org , 865-202-8688 Jacob Hannah, Coalfield Development, jhannah@coalfield-development.org, 304-614-8035 Marissa R. Lautzenheiser, Rural Action, marissa@ruralaction.org, 330-859-1050 New website launched as resource for communities, policy makers, funders and the media Norton, VA — A coalition of groups…
Read MorePublic opposition in N.C. wins on rate-hike bill despite Duke Energy’s money influence
CONTACTS: Rory McIlmoil, 828-278-4558, rory@appvoices.org Bobby Jones, 919-394-0727, bibija@aol.com Today, the North Carolina Senate voted 48-0 to pass a revised version of Senate Bill 559 that the House of Representatives had passed yesterday 112-0. Public opposition to previous versions of Duke Energy’s controversial ratemaking bill had been strong and steady for the past several months,…
Read MoreAppalachian Voices files legal challenge of Duke Energy’s rate hike in N.C.
CONTACTS: Greer Ryan, Center for Biological Diversity, 812-345-8571, gryan@biologicaldiversity.org Rory McIlmoil, Appalachian Voices, 828-262-1500, rory@appvoices.org Raleigh, N.C. — The Center for Biological Diversity and Appalachian Voices filed a petition today to intervene in Duke Energy Carolinas’ application to substantially increase electricity rates in North Carolina without also promoting renewable energy. The groups argued that simply…
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