Across Appalachia

Photographers of the world, it’s time to focus your lenses on Appalachia. Amateur and professional photographers alike are encouraged to enter The 7th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition (AMPC), which focuses on images that portray various aspects of Appalachian life. The competition is divided into seven separate categories, and over $4,000 in cash and prizes…

By Maureen Halsema Natural gas is one of the cleanest burning fossil fuels, but as it grows in popularity, concerns are expanding about extraction methods and the gas’ inherent volatility. The Appalachian Basin region is home to one of most expansive reserves of natural gas—the Marcellus Shale. This reserve lies over a mile beneath the…

By Julie Johnson This summer, 735 Mingo Co, W.Va. resident’s quest for civil restitution and medical monitoring was the focus of a series of judicial controversies. Since 2004, these individuals have been involved in litigation with Massey Energy over their water. They claim that coal slurry—the byproduct of washing raw coal to remove combustible elements—infected…

By Julie Johnson Students in eight Chattanooga-area schools are helping to clean up the greater Tennessee River watershed. Focusing their efforts on the “Ridge to River” system, the students learn about their water and the effects of pollution on its quality, from the small streams at the tops of mountains to the large rivers in the…

Story by Sandra Diaz In line with an interagency “memorandum of understanding,” the Environmental Protection Agency announced their recommendations on 79 valley fill permit applications associated with mountaintop removal coal mining. In a move that pleased environmentalists and coalfield residents in central and southern Appalachia, the EPA wants to further review all 79 permits for…

By Sandra Diaz Fake FACES, false FORCE, and astroturf lobbying. During the past two months, the coal industry was rocked by scandals that stemmed from backfired public relations campaigns. It started when ACCCE, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, hired Bonner and Associates to help influence Congress to vote against climate legislation. Bonner and…

By Julie Johnson Duke Energy customers and concerned citizens are challenging the North Carolina electric utilities provider over a proposed 18 percent rate increase. The utility provider is proposing a 13.5 percent increase for residential consumers to support the projected $1.8 billion costs of an 825 megawatt upgrade to the coal-fired Cliffside Steam Station in…

Kentucky Institutes Task Force on Biofuels A task force on biofuels and biomass appointed by Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear held their first meeting in September. The group was formed as part of Kentucky’s recent energy initiative, titled “Intelligent Energy Choices for Kentucky’s Future.” The group hopes Kentucky can produce enough biofuel by 2025 to cover…