Settlement Reached for Jim Justice Mines

On Sept. 30, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Justice announced a settlement resolving thousands of pollution violations against Southern Coal Corporation and 26 affiliated coal mining companies with operations in Appalachia.

Read More

EPA limits coal plants’ toxic discharges. Finally.

Finally, the EPA is taking action on cleaning up toxic wastewater discharges from the nation’s power plants. A new rule out this week updates standards from 32 years ago, which virtually granted license to utilities to discharge unlimited toxins into streams, rivers and lakes.

Read More

A Local Fight for Water Rights | Fiscal Challenges for N.C. Clean Water Trust Fund

More than 40 municipalities around the state have passed resolutions against state government control of municipal water infrastructure. Now, the North Carolina legislature plans to seize control of Asheville’s water system. The issue goes back to when Asheville entered into a regional water authority with Henderson and Buncombe counties. As time passed, the partnership dissolved…

Read More

Clean Water Warrior: Lessons from the Front Lines

By Molly Moore For Rick Handshoe, the trouble started in the mid-nineties, when coal mining began near his father and sister’s homes and his sister lost use of her well. Since then, six wells – including the one dug by his ancestors — have dried up or been contaminated with explosive levels of methane on…

Read More

4th Annual Week In Washington To Promote Clean Water Protection Act

Help Lobby Members of Congress to Pass an Anti-Mountaintop Removal Bill In mid-March, the Alliance for Appalachia will be sponsoring the fourth annual End Mountaintop Removal Week in Washington, a week of direct lobbying by Appalachian residents and others from across the United States. Participants get to join with other activists and impacted citizens, and…

Read More