The Appalachian Voice
Radioactive Sludge Being Removed from Sewage Facility
The Department of Energy is still removing radioactive sludge from the sewage treatment facility in Oak Ridge, Tenn., two years after the contamination was first discovered.
Read MoreChildhood Blood Lead Levels Falling in Appalachia
Across Appalachia, the number of children reported to have lead poisoning has decreased since 1997, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read MoreTwo-year Anniversary of Charleston Water Crisis
Two years after 10,000 gallons of a toxic chemical, MCHM, spilled into the Elk River near Charleston, W.Va., the company providing water to 40 percent of West Virginians “continues to be unprepared for a major spill today,” a new report says.
Read MoreTennessee Leading the Way in Animal Abuse Accountability
Tennessee has become the first state to implement an animal abuse registry, which will make the names of anyone convicted of committing an animal abuse offense publicly available.
Read MorePlugging-in Off the Grid
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory has designed a 3D-printed single-room building and a 3D-printed vehicle that can wirelessly share energy with each other.
Read MoreCougar: Ghost of Appalachia
The Eastern cougar was declared extinct in 2011 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. But that doesn’t keep other species of mountain lions from passing through the region, leaving behind blurry pictures and occasional eerie screams in the forest.
Read MoreFracking Wastewater Leads to Ban in West Virginia County
In Fayette County, W.Va., residents speaking up against natural gas drilling wastewater spurred a county-wide ban on the use, storage or disposal of any oil or gas waste.
Read MoreFederal Agency Considering Partial Surface Mining Ban in Tennessee
The U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement is considering a petition from the state of Tennessee to prevent surface coal mining on land within 600 feet of certain ridgelines in a 67,000-acre area north of Knoxville.
Read MoreBill Aims to Boost Local Appalachian Economies
The RECLAIM Act, introduced in early February by Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), would accelerate the release of $1 billion from the Abandoned Mine Lands Fund over the next five years and could help revitalize the economics in many areas impacted by coal’s decline.
Read MoreNew Mine Safety Standards Survive Industry Challenge
Despite challenges from industry groups, a federal court has upheld new mine safety standards that will go into effect on Feb. 1.
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