Front Porch Blog
Updates from Appalachia
Enforcement of mine cleanup rules is needed to protect communities, create jobs
During a recent House Natural Resources hearing on the issue of sluggish, inadequate, or totally non-existent reclamation on currently permitted coal mines, community advocates called for federal regulators to firmly enforce existing regulations and act in the public interest.
Duke Energy rate hike harms low-income families
In North Carolina, electricity rates are set through a “give and take” process that ultimately favors Duke Energy and its shareholders, and harms lower-income families. That’s got to change.
Biden must stop methane pipelines to deliver on climate change and environmental justice
In the USA Today, Indigenous leader Crystal Cavalier and climate scientist Michael Mann team up for this op-ed calling out the Mountain Valley Pipeline as a nail in America’s climate coffin and environmental injustice.
Stakeholder process invites Southwest Virginians to comment on state support for the region
The Virginia DMME held the first of three listening sessions to hear Southwest Virginians’ thoughts on how the state can support the region going forward as the coal tax credits expire. Residents can submit comments in person, by mail or online.
Collapse of the coal industry: Problems and recommendations
Coal mine regulations have not kept up with the industry’s collapse, leaving regulators without the money – or the legal tools – to address growing problems of scarred landscapes and polluted waters.
