Posts Tagged ‘Coal’
What do Duke Energy and a messy teenager have in common?
Duke Energy has spent six months cleaning up its Dan River coal spill, the third worst in U.S. history, and got a whopping six percent removed. And now it says the job is done. North Carolinians should not accept this — no less than most parents accept their teenagers’ excuses to clean up their rooms.
Great News for Clean Water in Virginia!
Last week a federal judge upheld a previous decision requiring a Virginia coal company to get a permit for their discharges of toxic selenium.
Today’s court decision and what it means for Appalachia
A major ruling in favor of the EPA says the agency has the authority to coordinate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers when reviewing permits for mountaintop removal mines. The EPA has the legal authority, scientific evidence, and moral obligation to block every mountaintop removal permit that comes through its doors. We all share the responsibility of making sure it does just that.
One fish, two fish … Dead fish
A study from researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) published this month provides strong new evidence that mountaintop removal coal mining in Appalachia is devastating downstream fish populations.
Fortunately, the Obama administration has an opportunity to take meaningful action to protect Appalachian streams.
Mountain Justice Summer – 10 Years Strong!
Mountain Justice Summer Camp, a week-long gathering of Appalachian advocates, celebrated its 10th anniversary this month. Appalachian Voices Grassroots Organizing Intern Chloe Crabtree reflects on the experience and what it means to act.
Read MoreWhat does EPA’s carbon rule mean for your state?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recently announced Clean Power Plan aims to cut carbon pollution from existing power plants nationwide. A new tool on the EPA’s website summarizes climate change impacts, current state actions to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and how the rule allows users to see how their state will be affected by the federal effort.
Take Action: Protect Appalachian Streams from Toxic Selenium
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is poised to loosen national recommended water quality standards for selenium, a toxic pollutant commonly released from mountaintop removal coal mines. You can stand up for streams in Appalachia by submitting comments urging the EPA to protect aquatic life and strengthen selenium standards.
On Capitol Hill, Appalachian citizens make the case against mountaintop removal
Last week, Appalachian Voices and Earthjustice teamed up with a group of Appalachian residents in Washington, D.C., to lobby members of the U.S. House of Representatives to cosponsor the Clean Water Protection Act, and discuss the importance of protecting clean water with the Environmental Protection Agency and Office of Surface Mining.
Science-backed lawsuits protect clean water in Central Appalachia
A recent federal court decision found that conductivity released from mines violated clean water laws. Another case just filed in Virginia challenges the discharge of total dissolved solids from mines in watersheds already damaged by high levels of total dissolved solids. Both cases could result in stronger protections for Central Appalachian streams.
Another coal-related chemical spill in Central Appalachia
Hundreds of fish were killed after Cumberland County Coal released a chemical into Kentucky’s Clover Fork River on May 30. Although the company was cited for polluting the river, fines alone cannot erase the damage done to a community and an ecosystem.