Resist and Create: lessons learned from Wales

By Jillian Randel | October 19, 2010 |

A big thanks goes out to the The Center for Appalachian Studies at Appalachian State University for hosting this weekend’s “Appalachia and Wales: Coal and After Coal” symposium. This weekend’s symposium brought together members from both communities face to face. Wales’ mining industry came to an end in the 1980s. The relationship that has formed…

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“I am a coal miner’s daughter so we do not hate coal miners”

By Jamie Goodman | October 15, 2010 |

The following is from Kathy Selvage, Board member of Appalachian Voices and Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards, originally posted on Blue Ridge Virginiafollowing a pro-coal rally in Washington D.C., which preceded the Appalachian Rising conference in September. These are Kathy’s thoughts after she spoke with her federal representatives about the issue: The industry and busloads of…

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Seaming together Coal Countries

By Jillian Randel | October 12, 2010 |

What connection do Appalachia and Wales share with one another? For starters, coal. Wales has been the sight of large-scale coal mining since the 1800s. With coal dominating the economies of both regions, Appalachia and Wales share long histories of social and political unrest with coal companies and mining. This weekend, Oct. 14-16, members of…

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Busting Big Coal-Legal Action Initiated Today

By Appalachian Voices | October 7, 2010 |

The WaterWatch team at Appalachian Voices has teamed up with organizations and legal groups to launch legal action against three coal mining companies for violations of the Clean Water Act. Unbelievable in this day and age, I thought, when my assistant, Eric Chance, and I researched discharge monitoring reports from Kentucky and discovered potential instances…

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Coal Ash Pond Failure in Wimington NC

By Eric Chance | September 29, 2010 |

Right here in North Carolina a coal ash pond at Progress Energy’s Sutton Plant near Wilmington was breached on Monday. Monday’s heavy rains may have been a factor in the failure, but there is another wave of heavy rains coming to the region today and tomorrow that may cause even more problems. for more information…

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Appalachia will rise again this weekend!

By Jillian Randel | September 21, 2010 |

Rising Up for Appalachia! This coming weekend, September 25-28, the Appalachian Voices crew will be traveling to Washington D.C. for the Appalachia Rising: Voices from the Mountains conference. The weekend workshops will be educational, focusing on issues such as: mountaintop removal, coal ash, coal-fired power plants, citizen lobbying, climate change, resource extraction, corporate campaigns, organizing…

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Radio Interview: Environmental Concerns for Shenandoah National Park

By Tom Cormons | September 21, 2010 |

A babbling brook. A fall ridge view in the park. Appalachian Voices’ Virginia Director Tom Cormons was a guest yesterday on a public radio program focused on the impacts of climate change on Shenandoah National Park. A new report from the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization and the Natural Resources Defense Council focuses on impacts to…

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FARCES of Coal: World 2 – Luke Popovich 0

By JW Randolph | September 17, 2010 |

The FArCES of Coal are here for YOU, Candlestick Makers of America One of my favorite people to see quoted in the news is the ever-dour NMA mouthpiece Luke Popovich. This guy has a simple job description which reads “Say whatever the coal industry tells you to say.” They even make up the numbers and…

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Charlotte Coal Ash Hearing Shows Strong Support for Subtitle C

By Jillian Randel | September 16, 2010 |

Tuesday’s standing room only coal ash hearings in Charlotte, N.C. were nothing less than encouraging. As a fresh addition to Appalachian Voices, it was a learning experience for me on all things “coal ash.” Citizens from all walks of life stood up to testify against the harmful effects of the improper disposal of coal ash…

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