Latest Reports From Appalachian Voices

Inclusive Energy Efficiency Financing for Members of the French Broad Electric Membership Corporation

As many as 11,000 households in the service are of the French Broad Electric Membership Corp. in western North Carolina need energy efficiency improvements such as insulation and new heating/cooling…

Healing Our Land, Growing Our Future

A report highlighting the economic development potential of more than a dozen abandoned coal mining sites in Southwest Virginia that could be repurposed into solar farms, community parks, sustainable farms…

Communities at Risk from Mountaintop Removal

(April 28, 2015) An examination of the proximity of mountaintop removal mining to communities in Appalachia. The study was conducted using maps and census data to detect differences in demographic…

Poverty and the Burden of Electricity Costs in the Southeast

The Case for Utility Home Energy Efficiency Loan and Tariff Programs (February 27, 2014) An analysis of the relationship between poverty and electricity costs in the Southeast and promotion of…

Growth of U.S. Coal Jobs

An analysis of governmental data showing that coal mining jobs have increased since 2009 despite the coal industry’s claim that pollution limits on coal-fired power plants and oversight of mountaintop…

The Impact of Coal on the Virginia State Budget

This report by Downstream Strategies analyzes the costs and benefits of the coal industry to Virginia’s state budget, and finds that the coal industry and coal-related activities cost Virginia $22…

Mapping The Human Cost of Coal

A special 8-page report mapping 21 peer-reviewed studies that conclude mountaintop removal coal mining contributes to significantly higher rates of birth defects, cancer, and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases among individuals…

The Clean Water Act at 40: Real People, Real Successes, Real Threats

Released the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, this report looks at the threats to the clean water protections during the 112th Congress, as well the people who have…

Dirty Money, Dirty Power

How Virginia’s Energy Policy Serves the Interests of Top Campaign Contributors A report by Appalachian Voices, Sierra Club – Virginia Chapter and Chesapeake Climate Action Network that analyzes more than…

Analysis of Negligent Water Quality Reporting by Certain Kentucky Coal Companies and the State’s Response

An analysis of negligent water quality reporting by certain Kentucky coal mine operators and the state of Kentucky’s regulatory response to the investigation.

Technical Comments concerning EPA Guidance on Appalachian Surface Mining

Submitted to the EPA by Appalachian Voices and the WaterKeeper Alliance, addressing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2010-0315: Improving EPA Review of Appalachian Surface Coal Mining Operations Under the Clean Water Act,…

State of Coal Ash Regulation in North Carolina

The EPA recently identified 49 coal ash ponds that have a high hazard potential rating, 12 of which are in North Carolina. In addition, Duke and Progress Energy recently tested…