Front Porch Blog
Updates from Appalachia
Two steps forward, one step back on coal ash in N.C.
North Carolina communities impacted by coal ash celebrated two positive strides forward recently, only to be disappointed by another fast move on the part of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality and Duke Energy that keeps too many citizens in limbo in terms of resolving polluted drinking water.
Citizen stories counter coal industry deception
Citizens and clean water advocates used a series of hearings on the proposed Stream Protection Rule to demand improvements to the draft version and call out state agencies for repeatedly failing to enforce regulations already on the books. Coal industry representatives, on the other hand, relied on “war on coal” rhetoric and deception to rally against the rule.
Victory for public health in Duke Energy settlement
After 15 years of legal wrangling with Duke Energy, federal lawyers have finally reached a settlement over charges the utility has been illegally emitting air pollution at several of its North Carolina power plants. Duke will have to close 13 of its coal-fired units by 2024. While that’s good news for its neighbors, there’s still the problem of polluted water from Duke’s coal ash ponds.
Welcome to new staff and 2015-16 AmeriCorps members
We would like to welcome three new faces to Appalachian Voices, our new Central Appalachian Campaign Coordinator Willie Dodson, and two new AmeriCorps Project Conserve members for the 2015-16 service term, Ridge Graham and Lee Payne.
NCDENR needs to step up
Since the Dan River coal ash catastrophe of February 2014, there’s been more foot-dragging than problem-solving by Duke Energy and DENR to solve the state’s coal ash crisis. But citizens like Amy Brown are keeping the pressure on, and Appalachian Voices is right there with them.
