The Appalachian Voice
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.
Read MoreCourt 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.
Read MoreWhite House Halts Review of Mountaintop Removal Health Impacts
In August, the U.S. Dept. of the Interior ordered the National Academy of Sciences to halt a two-year review of the human health impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining. The review’s budget was less than 1 percent of the department’s current grant spending.
Read MoreMember Spotlight: Diana Withen
Diana Withen is a teacher, leader and environmental advocate in Southwest Virginia, where she is also regularly distributes The Appalachian Voice.
Read MoreBringing Rural Areas Up to (Internet) Speed
A Tennessee electric cooperative and a Kentucky municipal utility are working to replace the outdated internet infrastructure in rural communities.
Read MoreUnique Solar Applications
By Otto Solberg Although solar fields generate large amounts of renewable energy, the ground underneath is commonly planted with turf grasses that do not effectively drain rainwater and require carbon-wasting maintenance. These innovative applications of solar energy are minimizing those negative impacts and creating more benefits for incorporating solar. Sun-Raised Sheep To maintain the land…
Read MoreDuke 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.
Read MoreChimney Tops 2 Fire Review Discussed
The U.S. National Park Service released a report detailing causes and contributing factors to last fall’s deadly fire in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Read MoreCollege Solar Vehicle Teams Drive Sustainable Transport Forward in Region
Harnessing Solar in Appalachia Intro: Harnessing Solar Seeking Opportunities in Solar Rules of the Solar Game: Policies can create a level playing field or stack the deck Former Coal Company Town Integrates Energy Efficiency and Solar College Solar Vehicle Teams Drive Sustainable Transport Forward in Region Unique Solar Applications By Carl Blankenship Solar car racing…
Read MoreTVA 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.
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