Front Porch Blog
Updates from Appalachia
Virginia issues new enforcement actions for Justice family mine violations
Mining companies owned by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice and his family have chronically violated environmental standards and failed to pay fines and fees. Virginia regulators recently issued notices of mine permit revocation and bond forfeiture for two of the family’s companies.
Federal negligence allowed coal companies to shrug off their responsibility for black lung benefits
For decades, coal companies ignored a federal requirement to provide enough funds for black lung benefits — and the government let them.
Saving Appalachian streams for crayfish and communities
Two imperiled crayfish will have more protected habitat in Appalachian streams if a plan by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is approved. The agency is taking public comment now.
Reforming Virginia’s energy system continues
Virginia lawmakers took a critical step this session in keeping a proposal to end monopoly electric utilities under consideration for 2021.
Duke Energy rate hike hearings underway in North Carolina
Duke Energy is trying yet again to make ratepayers foot the bill for coal ash cleanup and so-called grid-improvement — but time is still left to tell North Carolina ratepayers No More Rate Hikes for Dirty Energy!
