The Front Porch Blog

BLOGGER INDEX

Brianna Knisley

Originally from southern Ohio, Bri has been organizing with communities in Tennessee since joining Appalachian Voices in 2017. She enjoys foraging, growing things and bringing fancy desserts to porch sits.

Rural communities won billions of dollars to fund renewable energy

Friday, January 13th, 2023 | Posted by Brianna Knisley | No Comments

Last year, rural advocates won big in the Inflation Reduction Act by securing billions of dollars for rural communities to implement clean energy. Now, the USDA Rural Utilities Service is asking for input on how to set up and roll out these funding programs. [ Read More ]

Power outages and rolling blackouts hit Appalachia and the Southeast during winter storm

Saturday, December 24th, 2022 | Posted by Brianna Knisley | No Comments

During this weekend’s unusually low temperatures, people whose power is produced by the Tennessee Valley Authority and Duke Energy have experienced coordinated, rolling electricity blackouts to reduce electricity demand and prevent major grid outages that could take days or weeks to restore. [ Read More ]

We won’t give up on justice for the Kingston coal ash workers

Friday, June 10th, 2022 | Posted by Brianna Knisley | No Comments

Hundreds of workers who helped clean up after the massive Kingston Fossil Plant coal ash spill have gotten sick and dozens have died. A hearing before the Tennessee Supreme Court was the latest stop in the ongoing battle for justice. [ Read More ]

What’s a public utility without public control?

Monday, February 21st, 2022 | Posted by Brianna Knisley | No Comments

TVA, the nation’s largest public utility, used the opportunity of a global pandemic to cancel public listening sessions entirely and to withhold written public input from the media and public. The utility explained the move by claiming that it lacked the technological capabilities to host a virtual public input meeting. [ Read More ]

Knoxville community groups call for affordable utilities

Friday, July 2nd, 2021 | Posted by Brianna Knisley | No Comments

The Knoxville Water and Energy for All campaign is made up of community and faith groups with a mission to bring solutions to the root problems of unaffordable bills and disconnections in Knoxville. [ Read More ]

Fight like hell for the living: Honoring Kingston coal ash workers

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020 | Posted by Brianna Knisley | No Comments

Twelve years after the Kingston coal ash spill, hundreds of cleanup workers are sick with lung diseases, blood and brain cancers and other ailments, and families report that as many as 53 workers have died from their exposure to the toxic Kingston coal ash. [ Read More ]

TVA’s Covid relief fund should be a starting point

Tuesday, October 13th, 2020 | Posted by Brianna Knisley | No Comments

We've joined dozens of organizations to demand that TVA provide funding for a moratorium on electricity shutoffs in the region and debt relief for families struggling from Covid-related economic hardship. [ Read More ]

Groups sue TVA over never-ending contracts

Monday, August 24th, 2020 | Posted by Brianna Knisley | No Comments

Appalachian Voices has joined three other organizations in a lawsuit that challenges the Tennessee Valley Authority’s long-term contracts with local power companies. These perpetual contracts undermine the local power companies’ bargaining power to negotiate for cleaner, cheaper electricity. [ Read More ]

Tennessee needs a moratorium on utility shutoffs

Wednesday, April 8th, 2020 | Posted by Brianna Knisley | No Comments

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our health and livelihoods, utility shutoffs are hurting residents throughout Tennessee. Call Gov. Bill Lee today to ask him to stop utilities from disconnecting people from vital services during this crisis. [ Read More ]

Older Posts