The Endangered Species Act plays a crucial role in protecting our region’s wealth of biodiversity — but this bedrock environmental law is under attack.
Blog Archives
Saving Appalachian Species
TAGS: Atlantic Coast Pipeline biodiversity Endangered species Endangered Species Act mountain valley pipeline Mountaintop Removal MVP Southgate species protection threatened species
Coal miners call on Congress for support amidst dual threats from black lung and COVID-19
CONTACT: Rebecca Shelton, Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center, rshelton@aclc.org Willie Dodson, Appalachian Voices, willie@appvoices.org (NOTE: Several miners and their family members are available for interviews; images are also available; please contact Rebecca or Willie.) The president of the Black Lung Association…
What do Virginia’s new energy laws mean for the coalfields
New energy laws in Virginia provide significant opportunity for solar development in the state’s historic coalfields, but not enough direct support for communities hit by the clean energy transition.
Endangered Species Rulings Could Impact Energy Projects
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed the protection of 445 stream miles in Central Appalachia in January that serves as habitat for two at-risk aquatic species.
TAGS: big sandy crayfish Endangered species guyandotte river crayfish Mountaintop Removal U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Sen. Manchin takes new view of mountaintop removal coal mining
CONTACTS: Thom Kay, Senior Legislative Representative, thom.kay@appvoices.org, 828-262-1500 At a confirmation hearing today for the nominee to head the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation Enforcement, Sen. Joe Manchin asked nominee Lanny Erdos to commit to revive a National Academies…
Neighbors of Mountaintop Removal Testify Before Congress
In April, people living near coal strip mines testified before a U.S. House subcommittee about how mountaintop removal coal mining has affected their lives and communities.
TAGS: Activism Benham Citizen action Congress Kentucky Mountaintop Removal U.S. House of Representatives West Virginia
RECLAIM Act back in Congress
The bill to expedite spending of $1 billion in coal-impacted communities to repurpose old mine sites for new economic projects has been reintroduced into Congress with bipartisan support.
TAGS: Acid Mine Drainage ACLC Appalachian Citizens Law Center Coal mining Congress economic development Economic Transition just transition Kentucky Mountaintop Removal RECLAIM Act
Appalachians testify in Congress to end mountaintop removal
Residents of coal-impacted communities went to Washington, D.C., to share how strip mines have affected their lives and to support a moratorium on destructive strip mining.
TAGS: appalachia Coal mining Congress health problems Kentucky Mountaintop Removal strip mining West Virginia
Groups File Lawsuit Against Mountaintop Removal Coal Mine in West Virginia
Environmental groups claim in a federal lawsuit that Republic Energy is illegally operating a strip mine on Coal River Mountain by using a state permit that expired in 2011.
Central Appalachia’s newest coal boss facing bankruptcies
Virginia businessman Tom Clarke’s foray into the coal industry initially looked promising for addressing environmental and community problems. Now, however, his business model is looking questionable.
© 2020 Appalachian Voices