Posts Tagged ‘Coal’
Who Has Priority Over Water?
By Matt Wasson, Ph.D. CHARLESTON, W.Va. — What do January’s Kanawha Valley chemical spill, the Exxon Valdez spill and the Deepwater Horizon incident have in common? All were man-made environmental disasters, disrupting the lives of thousands of people, and all cracked open for public view astonishing examples of corporate and regulatory dereliction. What don’t they…
Read MoreAppalachia’s Political Landscape
By Brian Sewell IN THE STATES Kentucky: Gov. Steve Beshear did not mention coal much in his Jan. 7 State of the Commonwealth speech, but he did put the spotlight on S.O.A.R, an initiative to provide economic assistance to eastern Kentucky counties suffering from coal’s downturn. Coal mining communities could also receive an economic boon…
Read MoreMountaintop Removal Masquerade
Opponents of Proposed Surface Mine Highway Push for Environmental Review By Molly Moore Tim Mullins recalls what Pound, Va., was like in the 1970s — nestled in the commonwealth’s mountainous southwestern corner, it was a town of crowded sidewalks, ample schools and nary a parking spot to be found. Today, formerly bustling businesses are dilapidated…
Read MoreAn Unforgettable Lesson, Forgotten
Just after midnight, a thunderous swell of sound peeled apart the silence that had settled onto Harriman, Tenn. A mountain of black coal ash — the waste byproduct of burning coal — descended upon the surrounding neighborhood, snapping trees and ripping three homes from their foundations.
Read MoreSpotlight on Eastern Kentucky Economy
By Molly Moore When more than 1,700 citizens gathered in Pikeville, Ky., to discuss ideas for regional economic revitalization at the Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) Summit last December, the crowd was diverse. In attendance were concerned citizens, grassroots organizers and many of the state’s government and business leaders. During breakout sessions, participants discussed topics…
Read MoreSome Results, Few Conclusions in West Virginia’s Crude MCHM Spill
Appalachian Voices’ Appalachian Water Watch team has received results from several locations impacted by the crude MCHM and PPH spill in Charleston, W.Va. While a superficial review of the results might seem to indicate that flushing individual water systems was effective in eliminating most of the MCHM from the pipes, when combined with additional data and personal observations from affected residents, the conclusions become less clear.
More than 75 Gather in Philadelphia to Demand Clean Water for Appalachia
Last week, more than 75 people braved single-digit temperatures in Philadelphia, Penn., to call on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to take action to protect Appalachia from mountaintop removal coal mining. Until legally binding safeguards are set by the EPA, Appalachia’s waters will continue to be polluted by mountaintop removal coal mining.
Ann League: Coordinating to Protect Tennessee’s Mountains
I started working to protect Tennessee’s mountains from mountaintop removal coal mining more than 10 years ago because it was personal for me. And I plan to continue fighting mountaintop removal because the mountains of Tennessee will always be in my heart, which is why I am so excited to join Appalachian Voices to coordinate the organization’s Tennessee campaign.
Realities on the Ground in the West Virginia Water Crisis
I checked Facebook early on the morning of January 9th, cursing my mild addiction to social media, and was suddenly glad that I had. I saw a news report of a chemical spill in Charleston, W.Va., which I quickly emailed to the rest of the staff at Appalachian Voices. I then packed a bag anticipating the potential to be gone for several days. I knew as little about what I might be doing through my work with Appalachian Water Watch as I did about what exactly had happened in Charleston.
Fighting for Clean Water in Virginia: Standing up to Coal Industry Bullies
Today, Appalachian Voices along with our allies in Virginia filed a lawsuit against Penn Virginia, for water polluted by selenium coming from abandoned mines on their land. This lawsuit is one in a series of suits aimed at cleaning up selenium pollution in Callahan Creek.