2019 — February/March
States Tackle Environmental and Energy Issues
With state legislative sessions underway across Appalachia, here are some energy and environmental bills to keep an eye on.
Read MoreGov. Jim Justice’s Barren Mine Lands and Unpaid Taxes
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice made nearly $2 billion off Appalachia’s coalfields, but his family’s mines owe back taxes in multiple states. They have also accrued hundreds of environmental violations, and many idled mines are still unreclaimed.
Read MorePeople in the Path of Pipelines
Residents along the path of major new and proposed interstate fracked-gas pipelines share their stories.
Read MorePay-What-You-Can Cafes
Appalachia’s donation-based cafes offer delicious, healthy food to diners and volunteers regardless of their ability to pay.
Read MoreRise of Interscholastic Mountain Biking
The sport of mountain biking is taking off in schools across Appalachia.
Read MoreMVP Southgate Met with Staunch Resistance
Local governments, residents in the path of the pipeline, a state agency and more have spoken out against this proposed 73-mile extension of the fracked-gas Mountain Valley Pipeline.
Read MoreRed Spruce Restoration Underway
Conservationists across the region have teamed up to help restore the red spruce to its natural habitat after unsustainable logging practices in the early 1900s, coupled with wildfires, nearly wiped out the tree in Appalachia.
Read MoreVirginia Approves Controversial Compressor Station
The Virginia Air Pollution Control Board approved Dominion Energy’s air pollution permit for the Buckingham compressor station despite fervent local opposition — but community members say the fight isn’t over yet.
Read MoreExports and Bankruptcies Mark Volatile Year for Coal
Although Central Appalachian coal production has seen a slight rebound since 2016, it may be short-lived due to export and transportation costs. Additionally, two coal companies filed for bankruptcy last fall.
Read MoreKatie Whitehead
Katie Whitehead already has four pipelines running through her land – and Mountain Valley Pipeline Southgate developers want to cut down three acres of her tree farm to add a fifth.
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