RockingChair

Front Porch Blog

Updates from Appalachia

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Prominent Navajo environmental leader to speak in Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina

Along with Andrew Atencia and Adrian Herder, organizers for Tó Nizhoní Aní, Nicole Horseherder will be visiting Appalachia in March to teach and learn about the environmental justice movement in the coalfields of Black Mesa and Appalachia, respectively.

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The People’s Voice on TVA: Advocates create forum for public input and expert testimony on TVA’s long-term energy plan

TVA is the country’s largest public utility with 10 million customers across seven states, but advocates say the utility isn’t doing a good job involving the public or third party experts in its long-term energy planning, which will be completed by the end of 2024.

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Crossover: Virginia General Assembly session reaches an important milestone

The Virginia General Assembly has reached the halfway mark — and amid the highs and lows of committee decisions, hundreds of Virginians have helped advocate for critical environmental protections. Thank you for your calls and emails to legislators!

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New report shows alarming lack of mine cleanup progress in Kentucky

A recent study found that nearly 40% of the “active” surface permits in Kentucky have been sitting idle for the last five years. The coal companies responsible for those mine permits did not produce any coal, nor did they make any progress in cleaning up the sites.

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Four ways you can support Appalachian communities in the new year!

In 2023, Appalachian advocates made several advancements in the fight for greater protections for rural communities and families affected by black lung but as we enter 2024, an ongoing battle in Congress over spending is threatening to undo much of this progress while also cutting programs that benefit these communities.

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