Front Porch Blog
Updates from Appalachia
Central Appalachia’s newest coal boss facing bankruptcies
Virginia businessman Tom Clarke’s foray into the coal industry initially looked promising for addressing environmental and community problems. Now, however, his business model is looking questionable.
Virginia electric co-ops fight to keep doors closed to members
Rural electric co-ops were set up as democratic institutions, but have increasingly become unresponsive to their customers, who are also owner-members. In Virginia, members of two co-ops are challenging the status quo.
Coal industry sees bankruptcies and exports in volatile 2018
Some coal companies appear to be banking on opportunities for short-term gain with metallurgical coal, but the metallurgical market can only prop up the industry for so long.
Army Corps suspends stream crossing permit for entire Atlantic Coast Pipeline
An essential permit for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline was suspended on Wednesday, effectively shutting down work at more than 1,500 stream and wetland crossings along the fracked gas line’s 600-mile route.
Gov. Northam dismisses regulators who expressed concerns about pipelines
In shocking move, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam dismissed three regulators from state permitting boards who had expressed concerns about the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines.
