Featured
On the Front Lines
When mountaintop removal threatened to surround the tiny town of Inman, Va., residents pushed back.
Read MoreAn Appalachian Bookshelf
Featuring reviews of “Phenomenal” by Leigh Ann Henion, “Beautiful Land of the Sky” by Loren M. Wood, and “Real Goods Solar Living Sourcebook” by John Schaeffer
Read MorePermit Renewal Raises Questions for Radford Arsenal
Air pollution concerns at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant spark a controversy in the New River Valley.
Read MoreUnder Pressure: A Fractured Relationship with Natural Gas
Across the East, fracking for natural gas is advancing in starts and stops — as some states embrace the practice, another bans it, and still more consider the risks and potential rewards of entering the fracking fray.
Read MoreDigging Under the Surface: West Virginia’s Fracking Boom
Many West Virginia landowners agreed to sever the right to use their land from their rights to the minerals buried beneath the surface long before the onset of fracking technology. Today, fracking operators are using those old leases to bring industrial development to formerly secluded country homes, like the ridge above David Wentz’ house.
Read MorePipe Dreams: The push to expand natural gas infrastructure
Landowners whose property lies along a natural gas pipeline route worry about local impacts, while others warn of the long-term consequences that could come with a reliance on this fickle fuel.
Read MoreCitizen Scientists Tackle Climate Change
Across the region, volunteers from all walks of life are recording when the dogwood blooms and when the warblers arrive. These citizen scientists are compiling observations that help researchers monitor subtle changes in seasonal events, and provide the backbone for extensive projects to track climate change.
Read MoreFloydFest 14 Celebrates Music, Community and Sustainability
Situated on a picturesque ridge just off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Floyd, Va., FloydFest: Fire on the Mountain, is a stellar music festival with a community feel and an emphasis on family, art and celebration. This year, Appalachian Voices was chosen as the featured nonprofit.
Read MoreCoal Ash Management
The first federal regulations governing the disposal of toxic coal ash passed in December 2014. The rule provides some safeguards, but environmental advocates aren’t reassured. And in North Carolina, more than a year after the Dan River coal ash spill, communities living near the waste are still concerned about the pollution’s effects.
Read MoreAppalachian Voices Book Club
Appalachia’s triumphs and tragedies, its beauty and mystery, and its people’s tenacity, love and good humor have long been enshrined in fiction. This year, the stories of the region’s struggles with coal are reaching a national audience thanks to two powerful new novels.
Read More