2014 — Issue 6 (Dec/Jan)
Roanoke Electric Receives $6 Million Loan for Energy Efficiency
In October, the North Carolina-based Roanoke Electric Cooperative became one of the first recipients of a loan through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Loan Program.
Read MoreLegal Battles Flare Up Regarding Atlantic Coast Natural Gas Pipeline
The proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline would deliver natural gas produced in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia to power plants and other industrial customers in the Southeast, and is already stirring controversy along the proposed route.
Read MoreSandhill Cranes: A Winter Spectacle in Southeast Tennessee
Each winter, thousands of redheaded, long-legged sandhill cranes descend upon the mud flats and grain fields along the banks of the Tennessee River at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Southeast Tennessee.
Read MoreProposed N.C. Fracking Rules Move Forward
North Carolina’s Mining and Energy Commission approved proposed changes to state rules on hydraulic fracturing this November. Citizens and environmental groups submitted nearly 220,000 public comments on the rules governing fracking safety standards, but the commission made few significant changes the public proposed.
Read MoreCourt Upholds EPA Revocation of Mine Permit
A federal judge acknowledged the environmental damage caused by mountaintop removal this September when she ruled to uphold a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency veto of a permit for one of the largest surface mines ever proposed in Appalachia.
Read MoreResearch Finds Mine Reclamation Failures
Efforts to restore mountaintop removal coal mines are not meeting the objectives of the Clean Water Act, creating a variety of consequences for aquatic life, according to a September study by the University of Maryland’s National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center.
Read MoreIndustry Attempts to Derail Oil Train Safety Rules
Following a rise in explosive, and sometimes deadly, oil train derailings, the U.S. Department of Transportation proposed new safety regulations on trains carrying crude oil including stronger tanker cars, slower speeds and improved braking systems. But oil and railroad industry groups argue it will take at least seven years to produce safer tank cars while…
Read MoreSo Long, But Not Goodbye
It is with equal parts sadness and celebration that we bid adieu to our long-time friend and the coordinator of our Tennessee program for the past year, Ann League. While we are losing a formidable teammate, we are excited that Ann is leaving to head up one of our partner organizations, Statewide Organizing for Community…
Read MoreTallulah Gorge State Park
With six majestic waterfalls and more than 20 miles of hiking trails that range from pleasant strolls to challenging adventures, Tallulah Gorge is a true jewel of the southern mountains.
Read MoreGeorge Washington Forest Plan Unveiled
After more than 50,000 public comments and seven years of debate between citizens, government officials, environmentalists and the energy industry, the U.S. Forest Service has released a new management plan for the 1.1-million acre George Washington National Forest.
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