Press Releases
National environmental justice groups applaud Solar For All grant recipients
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 22, 2024 PRESS CONTACT: Caroline Rajchel caroline.rajchel@antennagroup.com WASHINGTON — The Solar Access For All Coalition celebrates today’s announcement of the Solar For All grant award winners. This milestone marks a monumental leap towards a greener, more equitable future for our communities. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that 60 selectees will…
Read MoreCommunity groups praise Beyer bill to ensure timely coal mine cleanup
Communities across Central Appalachia welcome a bill introduced today by U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va.. The bill includes specific requirements for how quickly coal mine reclamation must be completed following coal removal.
Read MoreAppalachian Voices kicks off series of community meetings for resiliency grant
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 18, 2024 CONTACT Emma Kelly, New Economy Field Coordinator, (865) 585-4939, emma@appvoices.org Appalachian Voices is partnering with the five Southwest Virginia governments and communities of Clinchco, Dante, Dungannon, Pennington Gap and Pound in a three-year proposal to map, plan and implement community-driven initiatives to build more resilient communities. Resiliency is the…
Read MoreAppalachian Voices sees a missed opportunity with new rule to protect miners from black lung disease
Yesterday the Biden administration’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced that it finalized a rule to protect miners from respirable silica — a significant driver of the resurgence of black lung disease in Central Appalachia.
Read MoreCommunity advocates welcome Cartwright’s new legislation to fight zombie mine crisis
Community advocates from across Pennsylvania and Appalachia celebrated the introduction of two bills by Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Penn., that would take crucial action to address some of the root causes of the “zombie mine” crisis — the increasing number of non-producing modern-era mines that have not been cleaned up by the coal companies responsible for operating them.
Read MoreAppalachian Voices statement on Government Accountability Office report on pipeline safety deficiencies
On April 3, 2024, the Government Accountability Office released a report to congressional committees on gas pipeline safety, which included multiple concerns with current data collection and reporting from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Read MoreCoal community advocates applaud new “10-Day Notice” rule for strengthening response to health, safety and pollution threats
This morning, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement released its final “Ten Day Notice” rule to address how the agency responds to community member complaints about safety, pollution, and other violations at coal mines across the country.
Read MoreTVA ignores warnings from federal agencies, moves forward with proposed Kingston Gas Plant
In an extremely disappointing move, the Tennessee Valley Authority issued a Record of Decision for the proposed Kingston Gas Plant, a dirty and expensive project that will hurt the climate and cost families in the Tennessee Valley millions of dollars in unnecessary costs. The new plant would also require a 122-mile pipeline.
Read MoreEPA urges TVA to revisit study on Kingston plant replacement, citing “serious deficiencies”
Yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency sent comments to the Tennessee Valley Authority highlighting “serious deficiencies” with the utility’s Final Environmental Impact Statement, or the review of power source alternatives that it is considering for the replacement of the Kingston Fossil Plant in Harriman, Tennessee.
Read MorePennington Gap, Va., wins grant to help protect against future flooding
The town of Pennington Gap, Virginia, was recently awarded a $50,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Community Flood Preparedness Fund.
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