Press Releases
Southwest Va. group plans for more solar energy in coal region
CONTACT: Chelsea Barnes New Economy Program Manager Appalachian Voices chelsea@appvoices.org (276) 207-9636 The Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia is seeking bids for 12 solar projects totalling 2.73 megawatts of energy generation as part of its Commercial-Scale Group Purchase Program. The projects to be developed on businesses, nonprofits and local government properties across Lee, Scott, Tazewell,…
Read MoreNCDEQ orders Duke Energy to fully excavate remaining coal ash sites
Today’s decision by the DEQ requiring Duke Energy to excavate all of its six remaining coal ash sites is a testament to the determination of the people living near these toxic sites who have been calling on the state for strong cleanup measures for years.
Read MoreSouthwest Virginia awarded grants for innovative coal mine reclamation projects
CONTACT Chelsea Barnes New Economy Program Manager chelsea@appvoices.org, (276) 207-9636 Norton, Va. — Ten community revitalization projects that will reclaim old coal mining sites in Southwest Virginia will receive $10 million in grant money administered by the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. The grants come through congressional funding for the Abandoned Mine Lands…
Read MoreVirginia water board abandons pursuit of Mountain Valley Pipeline permit revocation
Today, the Virginia State Water Control Board unanimously voted to reverse course in pursuing revocation of Mountain Valley Pipeline’s Clean Water Act § 401 certification. In December, 2018, the board voted 4-3 to consider revoking the project’s certification, but today, after nearly four hours of deliberation with a representative of the Attorney General’s office, the…
Read MoreSouthwest Va. solar group seeks local partners for group purchase program
CONTACT Chelsea Barnes New Economy Program Manager chelsea@appvoices.org, (276) 207-9636 The Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia has announced an opportunity for businesses, government and nonprofit entities to go solar and save money on electricity bills through its second Commercial-Scale Solar Group Purchase. In 2018, the workgroup successfully facilitated its first Commercial-Scale Solar Group Purchase for…
Read MoreGroups target Duke Energy to end monopoly control of NC electric system
Social justice and clean energy groups call for state leaders to allow energy choice, saying hurricanes, rising electric rates, other harms show state system is broken Raleigh N.C. – A new, diverse coalition of 15 local, state and national groups today launched what they called a vigorous statewide campaign to end Duke Energy’s monopoly control…
Read MoreGroups urge N.C. lawmakers to prevent Duke Energy from gouging customers for grid “improvements”
A joint press release from NC Warn and Appalachian Voices Duke Energy executives are seeking support from North Carolina legislators and others for a highly controversial and twice-failed plan to lock in up to $13 billion in customer rate increases for what critics say are wasteful capital projects. Today, two watchdog groups denounced Duke’s grid…
Read MoreVa. air board issues misguided approval of gas compressor in African-American community
Today Virginia’s Air Pollution Control Board unanimously approved an air pollution permit for a natural gas compressor station that would power Dominion Energy’s proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline. The board’s approval came despite evidence presented at the board’s November 8 and 9 meetings showing that the industrial facility would have a disproportionate impact on the low-income…
Read MoreVa. air board delays decision on ACP compressor station in African-American community
The Virginia Air Pollution Control Board today delayed a highly anticipated vote on the controversial proposed compressor station in the largely black community of Union Hill in Buckingham County. In a packed meeting room of mostly opponents of the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline, the board adopted several technical amendments to the draft permit. The board…
Read MoreMVP and ACP fracked-gas projects both dealt major blows — again
The Virginia State Water Control Board voted 4-3 today to reconsider the Clean Water Act section 401 certification that the board approved last December for the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Six days after Attorney General Mark Herring filed an enforcement suit against MVP, LLC for violations of state water laws and terms of the 401 certification,…
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