Posts Tagged ‘appalachia’
Appalachian Voices and Partners Challenge Kentucky’s Backroom Deal With Coal Company
Yesterday, Appalachian Voices and our partner organizations filed a “petition for review”, essentially an appeal of a settlement between Frasure Creek Mining and the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet. This settlement lets Frasure Creek off the hook for thousands of water quality violations over the past two years, while doing little to ensure that the…
Read MoreKentuckians Challenge Cabinet’s Order for Failing to Protect Clean Water from Coal Pollution
Resources Citizen’s petition for review (May 2013) Citizens’ Objection Letter (Jan 2013) Cabinet and Frasure’s Agreed Order FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Appalachian Voices * Kentuckians For The Commonwealth * Kentucky Riverkeeper * Waterkeeper Alliance CONTACTS: • Eric Chance, Appalachian Voices, 828-262-1500, eric@appvoices.org • Pat Banks, Kentucky Riverkeeper, 859-200-7442, kyriverkeeper@eku.edu • Peter Harrison, Waterkeeper Alliance, 828-582-0422, pharrison@waterkeeper.org…
Read MoreA Must-Read Report, Another Reminder It’s Time to Build Something New in Central Appalachia
The litany of voices pointing to the writing on the wall for the Central Appalachian coal industry continues to grow. They’re saying the same thing in almost every way imaginable, and have been for some time. Watching coal production decline and demand shift as other energy sources out-compete coal domestically, it is vital that policymakers…
Read MoreTending to Appalachia’s Bright Future
I had never been to Harlan County. Sure, I’ve heard the songs, seen the movie, and know the stories, but nothing compares to being there, driving the Kentucky back roads, stopping in local shops, talking to folks. It’s beautiful country, especially in April with the redbuds blooming and the bright greens of spring blushing up…
Read MoreVICTORY: Senate Committee Passes Energy Savings Act
With Overwhelming Bipartisan Support, the U.S. Senate Yesterday Began Moving a Common Sense Energy Efficiency Bill. Here’s Why We’re Celebrating. Well, the US Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and Appalachian Voices all agree — it’s time for America to move forward with energy efficiency. Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and…
Read MoreMountaintop Removal 101: Congressional Research Service Updates Report
Every day, more Americans become concerned with the threat of mountaintop removal in Appalachia. Just yesterday, I was made aware of a website called “What About Mountains?” created by a fourth grade class at the Episcopal School of Knoxville. These students may just be learning about the issue, but they know that “mountaintop removal coal…
Read MoreAdvancing Energy Efficiency in Virginia
When it comes to energy efficiency, Virginia’s policymakers could do more, a lot more. The commonwealth came in 37th place on the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE) most recent state scorecard, which ranks states by energy efficiency policies. The scorecard follows up on a report the group published in 2008, stating that Virginia…
Read MoreTennessee Tuesday: What Do We Do Now?
This is a post about how we can improve life for Tennesseans, protect an American culture that has endured for centuries, and promote our beloved Appalachian Mountains that once stood higher than the Himalayas, and are now threatened by mountaintop removal coal mining. Tennessee Tuesdays is a new weekly feature on the Appalachian Voices Front…
Read MoreA Good Week for Mountains – Multiple Court Rulings Favor Science and Enforcement
We’re only two days into Earth Week — if we must limit it to one week out of the year — but it sure is getting off to a great start. In the past two days, two major court rulings have underscored the need for increased scrutiny from the federal agency responsible for evaluating environmental…
Read MorePolicy Expert to Steer New Energy Savings Program
The Southeast possesses some of the greatest resources for making energy use more efficient, and Appalachian Voices has a plan to help unleash that potential. This spring, we are launching a new program focused on promoting energy savings and reducing the use of coal-fired power in rural Appalachia and the Southeast. Rory McIlmoil, a long-time…
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