Across Appalachia
Tribal Governments Dispute Proposed Casino
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians claims that a federal bill allowing the Catawba Indian Nation to build a casino in North Carolina is “a modern day land-grab” of Cherokee aboriginal lands, while the Catawba argue that they have rights to the land.
Read MoreEPA Rejects Proposed Oak Ridge Landfill
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rejected a controversial landfill in Oak Ridge, Tenn., that was to contain low-level radioactive and mixed waste from a federal laboratory and security complex.
Read MoreDeadly Elk and Deer Disease Spreads
Wildlife officials discovered cases of Chronic Wasting Disease, which causes brain degeneration in elk and deer, in Tennessee. This has led to some states taking precautions to avoid disease spread.
Read MoreStudy Finds Red Wolves are a Distinct Species
The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that red wolves are a distinct species, allowing the species to be listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.
Read MoreAgency Says Hellbenders Not Endangered
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided not to list the Eastern Hellbender salamander as endangered, prompting protest from conservation groups.
Read MoreCleaner Air in North Carolina and Virginia
Although state officials in North Carolina and Virginia reported significant improvements in air quality in recent years, a nonprofit organization released a report in May stating that 96 percent of national parks are damaged by air pollution.
Read MoreTennessee Law Blocks Localities From Banning Plastic Bags
Gov. Bill Lee signed a law banning local governments from enacting regulations against certain plastic bags and utensils after Nashville and Memphis considered taxes on single-use plastic bags.
Read MoreEnvironmental Groups Reach Agreement with Forest Service for Timber Sale
After three years of deliberations with environmental groups, the U.S. Forest Service reduced the acreage of a timber sale in the Jefferson National Forest and took other measures to protect water quality.
Read MoreProposal for Ohio River Water Pollution Standards Undergoes Third Revision
The proposed plan would continue to allow the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission to set water pollution limits, but would allow states to make different restrictions on a conditional basis.
Read MoreSoutheast Endangered Species Get Less Funding Compared to Other Regions
Conservation biologist Bernie Kuhajda found that some aquatic species outside of the Southeast receive as much as 46.6 times more funding than those in the region.
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