Environmental groups and an order of nuns are challenging the controversial pipeline in Pennsylvania.
Elizabeth E. Payne
A native of Boone, N.C., Lee earned degrees in archaeology and ancient history at Brown University and Boston University, and received a Ph.D. in Near Eastern languages and civilizations from Yale University. She served as our AmeriCorps Communications associate from 2015-16, and as our Communications Associate from 2016-2017.
Blog Archives
The Appalachian Voice
Federal Grant Seeks to Extract Elements from Coal Byproducts
University researchers were awarded $6 million to expand a project focused on extracting rare earth elements from coal byproducts.
Pipelines Face Continued Challenges
Citizen and environmental groups continue to challenge the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Mountain Valley Pipeline as the companies behind the pipelines push for rushed decisions.
Regional Coal Ash News: Toxic Cleanup, Legal Woes and EPA Changes
Over two dozen workers who helped clean up the December 2008 TVA coal ash disaster have died, and surviving workers and family members are suing. Duke Energy faces legal trouble for withholding dam safety information. The EPA is being challenged for retracting a 30-day public comment extension on coal ash guidelines.
Court Prevents County From Banning Fracking Wastewater
A federal appeals court upheld a lower court’s decision to block Fayette County, W.Va., from banning the disposal of fracking waste in the county on the grounds that fracking waste disposal is governed by the state.
Duke Energy Seeks Another Rate Hike for North Carolina Customers
Duke Energy subsidiary Duke Energy Carolinas requested to raise the rates of its residential customers by 16.7 percent. The request would shift onto customers the cost of cleaning up millions of tons of toxic coal ash.
TVA Looks for More Exemptions From National Envionmental Policy Act
The Tennessee Valley Authority is looking to increase the number of categorical exclusions to the National Environmental Policy Act, which do not require environmental studies or public involvement for a project to move forward.
Pattern of Violations at Alpha’s Middle Ridge Mine
West Virginia ordered a subsidiary of Alpha Natural Resources to “show cause” for why it should be allowed to continue operating Middle Ridge Mine after incurring seven violations since July 2016.
Trump Administration Delays Water Safety Rule
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in September that it would postpone portions of a 2015 rule that established limits on wastewater pollution from coal-fired power plants.
Duke Energy Delays Asheville Plant
Duke Energy announced the postponement of a natural gas-fired power plant near Asheville, N.C., from 2023 to 2027.
