June is “Solar Energy Month” in North Carolina

By Chelsey Fisher Editorial assistant, Summer 2013 On the heels of Republican-led legislative threats to environmental protection and renewable energy in North Carolina, Republican Governor Pat McCrory deemed June “Solar Energy Month” at a solar farm in Wake County on June 4. This acknowledgment is definitely deserved, considering North Carolina ranked fourth in the nation…

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Tenn. Tuesday: More Sun! More Wind! More Healthcare?

[Spoiler Alert] Yes, Yes, and Almost Certainly Not. American clean energy advocates are celebrating the revelation that solar energy made up half of new generating capacity for the first quarter of this year. Tennessee is a recognized leader in our region, and we have been particularly active in advancing new solar for years. Already in…

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Tenn. Tuesday: Energy Savings! Victories!

…HaslamConnectedLobbyistSellingPublicLandstoCoalCompanies! OH MY!! Good morning, and welcome to your Tennessee Tuesday, our weekly holler from your Tennessee hills. Drop us a note in the comments to say hello, let us know a bit about yourself, what you’re interested in and what stories we might be missing. It’s been a busy couple of weeks for the…

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Rushed Anti-Renewable Energy Bill Stalls in Committee

By Davis Wax Editorial assistant, Spring/Summer 2013 A bill in the N.C. House that would repeal the state’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (REPS) failed today in the House Committee on Public Utilities and Energy by a vote of 18-13. According to the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association talk of insufficient votes in the Environment Committee prompted…

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Canvassing Against Coal Ash

Last Saturday, the Red, White and Water team traveled to Belmont, N.C., to the G.G. Allen Steam Station for a day of canvassing. Walking door-to-door, we asked residents of the communities near the coal-fired power plant if they had been impacted by water pollution. I met Archie Dixon, who was featured in the Gaston Gazette…

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Renewed Resolve: Pushing for Energy Reform in Virginia

Reform of Virginia’s renewable energy law was in the spotlight on both sides of the political spectrum in the General Assembly this year. In the end, only a few adjustments were made to the law, none of which encourage the vibrant solar and wind industries that Virginians want, nor support a market for small businesses…

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“I’m Here Because I Love Mountains:” Watch a speech by Appalachian Voices’ JW Randolph

On Feb. 8, Appalachian Voices Tennessee Director, JW Randolph, spoke to members of the state legislature, the media and the environmental community. Below is a video and the transcript of his speech in support of the Tennessee Scenic Vistas Protection Act, a bill to protect the state’s virgin ridgelines from mountaintop removal coal mining. Hello,…

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