Front Porch Blog
Updates from Appalachia
Unnecessary and unwanted: Opposition to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline grows
The public has taken every opportunity to tell FERC to reject the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. There’s still time to add your voice to the choir of people across the country urging FERC to reject the unnecessary and unwanted project.
White House budget leaves Appalachia in the dust
The White House released its budget blueprint last week, and the proposal is nothing short of a disaster for Appalachia and rural communities across the country. Here’s a look at a few agencies and programs the White House wants to completely eliminate if it had its way.
Congress must act to protect coal miners’ benefits
In a matter of weeks, health care benefits for thousands of retired union coal miners will run out. In just a matter of years, the entire United Mine Workers pension plan, which covers nearly 90,000 former coal miners and their widows, may become insolvent.
FERC’s pipeline review process is broken
It’s no secret: oil and gas pipelines have captured the nation’s attention, not to mention the new administration’s. But new research is refuting the industry’s pro-pipeline arguments and even a former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is calling for greater scrutiny of proposed natural gas infrastructure projects.
Appalachia is blessed with abundant water — we should protect it
“One of the resources we are most blessed with here in Appalachia is fresh drinking water of the highest quality,” writes Mackay Pierce in defense of the Stream Protection Rule, which was recently thrown out by Congress and President Trump. “We should be taking every possible measure that we can to protect it.”