Posts Tagged ‘North Carolina’
Lawsuit Challenges State Fracking Panel
The Southern Environmental Law Center filed a lawsuit challenging the North Carolina legislature’s role in appointing the majority of members of the body responsible for developing rules to regulate fracking in the state.
Read MoreDanger still looms over the Dan River
In the wake of the Dan River coal ash spill, which spewed 39,000 tons of the toxic waste into the scenic river, much attention has been given to the problems of leaky, unlined coal ash pits across North Carolina. What hasn’t received adequate attention is another menacing threat just upstream from the site of last year’s spill.
The will against poverty: ASU students serve in rural Appalachia
Jan. 19 marked the twentieth year since President Clinton passed legislation to encourage Americans to volunteer on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Appalachian State University has recognized the day the with the MLK Challenge for sixteen years. Having participated in the challenge as a student, I couldn’t help but want to participate again. But I never knew I would be spelunking in a dusty crawlspace.
Today, I prayed we #kickcoalash
Guest Contributor Caroline Rutledge Armijo: On Sunday, Residents for Coal Ash Clean Up met on Belews Lake, overlooking the smokestacks at Duke Energy’s Belews Steam Station in Stokes County, N.C. Today marks the one year anniversary of the coal ash spill into the Dan River, the third largest coal ash spill in our nation’s history but likely a drop in the bucket of what would happen if there was a spill at Belews Creek.
Our Energy Savings campaign is heating up in the High Country
Back in October we launched the High Country Home Energy Makeover Contest as part of our campaign to motivate Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corp. to offer an on-bill financing program for their members in western North Carolina. We solicited enough support to pay for energy efficiency retrofits for three Blue Ridge Electric members. Read on to meet the contest winners.
Home Energy Contest Reveals Pressing Need in Western NC
Residents spend three times national average on energy bills Contact: Rory McIlmoil, Energy Policy Director, 828-262-1500, rory@appvoices.org Sarah Kellogg, North Carolina Field Organizer, 828-262-1500, sarah@appvoices.org Boone, N.C. — In announcing the three winners of its “High Country Home Energy Makeover Contest” today, Appalachian Voices said that the need for residential energy efficiency improvements in one…
Read MoreDecent news for N.C. solar power
The N.C. Utilities Commission’s decision to renew a set of rules governing the contracts between electric utilities and independent power producers allows the state’s solar developers to begin the new year on steady footing.
Winners of Home Energy Contest in N.C. to be Announced
Results show strong need for energy efficiency funding in the High Country Contact: Sarah Kellogg, N.C. Field Organizer, 828-262-1500, sarah@appvoices.org Boone, N.C. — Next Thursday, January 22, Appalachian Voices will announce the winners of its “High Country Home Energy Makeover” contest, each of whom will receive a comprehensive energy audit and home improvements from local…
Read MoreFracking and pipelines threaten Appalachia
The natural gas industry has overwhelmed scores of communities across the country, building miles of new pipelines and erecting huge drilling rigs. Appalachian Voices today launched web pages about efforts to open North Carolina to fracking and proposals to build natural gas pipelines through several Appalachian states, and the growing citizen movement to shift to cleaner energy.
A silver lining in EPA’s Coal Ash Rule
The long-awaited, first-ever federal rule for regulating toxic coal ash–the second largest waste stream in the U.S.– was released before the holidays. Appalachian Voices dives into the 700+-page rule and finds, yes, a number of problems, but lo … some bright spots, too.