Front Porch Blog
Updates from Appalachia
Ison Rock Ridge and land ownership in Appalachia
Earlier this summer, our friends at Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards celebrated the defeat of a proposed mountaintop removal mine along Ison Rock Ridge in Southwest Virginia. But although the imminent threat of mining is past, the land on Ison Rock Ridge is still owned by an absentee landholding company in the business of leasing out tracts to coal operators for mountaintop removal.
EIA: Mountaintop removal coal production down
The U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA) published a blog post today showing that coal produced by mountaintop removal mining in Central Appalachia decreased by 62 percent between 2008 and 2014. Demand for Central Appalachian coal will continue to decline, making further progress inevitable. But we won’t end mountaintop removal by relying on the market alone.
“It’s just vitamins!” Industry confuses residents on coal ash safety
Duke Energy and the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources continue to confound and confuse families that have the unfortunate luck of living in close proximity to the utility’s coal ash lagoons. So citizens and county officials are stepping in to help residents air their frustrations and, hopefully, to receive some answers.
A time of transition: APCo’s latest Virginia generation plan
It’s like Christmas in July, at least for those of us who get excited about energy news. On Wednesday Virginia’s utilities released their long-term plans to meet demand. Here we unwrap that bright shiny package for a look at what Appalachian Power is pursuing between now and 2029.
Supreme Court delivers blow to EPA’s mercury rule
In a major decision today, the Supreme Court ruled the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency did not properly consider costs when it created a rule to limit mercury emissions from power plants. But the agency has a mandate and a clear path forward to protect public health by limiting emissions of mercury and other toxic air pollutants.
