Written by Kevin Ridder
Kevin Ridder
Born in Arizona and raised in Tennessee, Kevin’s love of the mountains drove him to move even further east to Boone, N.C., where he serves as The Appalachian Voice's Associate Editor and a communications associate for the organization.
N.C. Lowers Risk Rating of Coal Ash Pits
Duke Energy may now be able to cap six toxic coal ash dumps in North Carolina in place instead of transporting the material to lined landfills after state regulators classified the dumps as “low risk.”
Virginians Petition For Change at Their Electric Co-op
Rappahannock Electric’s attempt to block members’ efforts to bring reform amendments to the ballot has sparked a legal dispute. All other Virginia electric co-ops have joined Rappahannock in opposing the members’ push for transparency.
Reform at One Southwestern Co-op Spurs Change at Another
In the Southwest, several electric cooperatives are demanding better terms and more renewables from their power provider.
Members of Choctaw Electric Continue to Reform Their Co-op
Deep-seated corruption at an Oklahoma electric cooperative spurred several member-owners to organize a campaign for reform.
Forming a Municipal Utility
Some cities and counties like Winter Park, Fla., have terminated their contracts with commercial utilities and formed municipal, publicly owned utilities instead.
Advocates Increase Powell Valley Electric Co-op Member Participation
A citizens group is calling for transparency at their electric cooperative, and helped to generate the second-largest voter turnout in recent history at the co-op’s annual meeting.
Virginia Governor Alters Air Board Before Crucial Vote
The air board members Gov. Northam removed in mid-November had spoken critically of a compressor station needed for Dominion Energy’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline project. A vote is now delayed pending a new public comment period.
Mountain Valley Pipeline Southgate Files for Federal Approval
The 73-mile expansion of the controversial fracked-gas Mountain Valley Pipeline into North Carolina has drawn criticism from residents and regulators alike.
Reformers Uncover Corruption, Bring Change to Pedernales Co-op
Poor solar policies led members of the nation’s largest electric co-op to investigate the board and file a class-action lawsuit.
West Virginia Drops Drinking Water Protections
A state legislative committee accepted an industry group’s last-minute amendment to state drinking water standards dictating safe pollutant levels.
