The Appalachian Voice
Farewells and Thank-Yous!
We say farewell to two long-time AV staff members, and express our sincere gratitude to our incredible 2014-15 AmeriCorps team.
Read MoreSaving Energy, One Utility at a Time
Our Energy Savings for Appalachia team has been campaigning to bring energy efficiency to the High Country of North Carolina, a region that spends nearly three times more of their income on electric bills than the average American. The campaign’s current focus is encouraging Blue Ridge Electric Membership Cooperative to offer an on-bill financing program…
Read MoreLandowners Support Songbird Conservation
To protect the golden-winged warbler and cerulean warbler, two conservation programs are working with private landowners.
Read MoreProposed Stream Protection Rule Released
By Erin Savage The agency responsible for regulating surface coal mining across the country released a proposed Stream Protection Rule on July 16, which is intended to limit mining impacts on streams. The long-awaited rule is not the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement’s first attempt to control the effects of surface mining…
Read MoreAlabama Coal: Strip Mine Proposal Halted on Mulberry Fork
By Kimber Ray Even to those familiar with Appalachia’s historically destructive relationship with coal, the proposal for the 1,773-acre Shepherd Bend strip mine in northern Alabama seemed unprecedented. Flowing through the mountains of Alabama’s largest coal-producing region, the Mulberry Fork tributary of the Black Warrior River houses the drinking water intake for more than 200,000…
Read MoreVirginia Town Tests Natural Pollution Treatment Techniques
Using natural methods to remove toxic material from soil and water is an ancient practice that has not been well-studied. A series of projects in Altavista, Va., could be the first to show that bioremediation can be a successful, cost-effective way to treat PCB contamination.
Read MoreDisposing of a Chemical Past
Rockets and projectiles containing more than 500 tons of nerve gas and other chemical weapons from World War II and the Vietnam War era are stored near Richmond, Ky. If all goes according to plan, those weapons will be destroyed over the next few years in a multi-billion facility in final stages of construction.
Read MoreCommunities Find Solutions to Stormwater
To help reduce polluted stormwater from overwhelming nearby waterways, Appalachian cities, towns and universities are deploying green infrastructure and other creative methods.
Read MoreIn the Neighborhood: Living with Coal Ash
By Sandra Diaz Tracey Edwards, a lifelong resident of Stokes County, resides within three miles of the coal-fired Belews Creek Steam Station, and is concerned about the coal ash the plant generates. As a child growing up in the mostly African-American neighborhood of Walnut Tree, Edwards played outside and ate from neighborhood apple and cherry…
Read MoreA Deluge of Dam Removals
A torrent of dam removals have occurred across the country in the past decade, and Appalachia is no exception. We take a look at why some dams stand tall, and others are ready to fall.
Read More