The Appalachian Voice
TVA’s Environmental Science Reporting Still Sparks Controversy
By Bill Kovarik When the Tennessee Valley Authority released its “Toxics Release Inventory” (TRI) report in December 2009, environmental organizations such as the Environmental Integrity Project expressed concern at the amount of toxins released into the river. According to TVA spokesman John Moulton, “toxic metals, in general, remain bound to the ash and do not…
Read MoreCitizens Group Critical of TVA Information and Sampling Procedures
By Maureen Halsema Almost a year after the coal ash disaster at the TVA plant in Kingston, a citizens advisory group says they are unhappy with TVA’s information and water sampling procedures. “This is a horrible economic and environmental situation that we are in,” said Steve Scarborough, Roane County Community Advisory Group (RCAG) spokesman and…
Read MoreBacklash: Counties in Alabama, Tennessee Fight Ash Relocation
By Julie Johnson Disposing of the coal ash spilled by TVA in December 2008 may turn out to be as much of an environmental problem as the original disaster. According to the Waterkeeper Alliance, toxic surface water with levels of arsenic eight times higher than drinking water standards has been found at the coal ash…
Read MoreSix New Favorites for Your Spring Reading List
A collaborative piece written by Maureen Halsema, Julie Johnson, Sarah Vig, Jamie Goodman, JW Randolph and Jeff Deal As snow piled up in the mountains this past winter, we realized one book review would simply not suffice. Here are a few Appalachian reads that kept us warm through the long winter months. White Blazes Stephen…
Read MoreMarch/May 2010 issue in downloadable PDF
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Read MoreDecember 2009 / January 2010 issue in downloadable PDF
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Read MoreOctober/November 2009 issue in downloadable PDF
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Read More7th Annual AMPC Photography Competition Focuses On 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…
Read MoreSerena: Historical Fiction with a Taste for Blood (and Timber)
By Sarah Vig Set in the mountains of North Carolina during the early years of the Great Depression, the landscape of Ron Rash’s “Serena” (Harper Collins, $24.95) is at once familiar and foreign. Serena is the new bride of timber baron George Pemberton–she is anything but! Smart, beautiful, and fiercely independent at a time when…
Read MoreAs Natural Gas Heats Up, Issues With Extraction Expand
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…
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