Front Porch Blog
Updates from Appalachia
Permits and Payments: Will Duke Energy ever stop polluting?
On Tuesday, DENR announced a historic $25.1 million fine for coal ash pollution at Duke Energy’s Sutton power plant. The agency also recently released updated permit drafts for coal ash ponds at other sites, proposed to “better protect water quality near coal ash ponds until closure plans are approved.” Though permitting the pollution will lead to better monitoring, it does nothing to stop or even stymie the toxic discharges.
In praise of the High Country Energy Contest’s community and business partners
The Energy Savings for Appalachia team would like to thank our community and business partners for making the High Country Home Energy Contest possible. Without their dedication and service, we would not have been able to offer three households the extensive energy efficiency home improvements that we have in the past month.
Many roads lead to clean energy
Utilities are cranking more and more electricity onto the grid on extremely cold or hot days — but too much of that ends up leaking out windows and doors in lower-income housing. As the NAACP points out, energy efficiency and other distributed energy sources are safer, healthier, and more equitable ways of providing electricity, and they have the added bonus of bringing much needed economic opportunity to communities of color.
Appalachian Voices and FloydFest 2015
It’s official — Appalachian Voices is partnering with one of the premiere music and arts festivals in the country to spread some serious love for mountains! This year, we were chosen to be Floydfest’s featured nonprofit, and together we’re cooking up some fun and exciting ways to promote stewardship of the Appalachian mountains during the 5-day extravaganza.
Apologies for the Dan River spill, guilt for coal ash crimes
Duke Energy likes to use a tagline about how, for more than 100 years, it has provided affordable, reliable electricity to its customers “at the flip of a switch.” But a year after the Dan River spill, Duke seems to accept that coal ash pollution has its own chapter in the company’s corporate story. Now, facing federal criminal charges, Duke will pay for its crimes.
