Posts Tagged ‘North Carolina’
Duke Energy’s Tough Times, Rate Hike Hearings Continue in Marion
On Tuesday Oct. 25, at the McDowell County courthouse in Marion, the N.C. Utilities Commission heard a succession of voices all proclaiming the same message: Do not approve the 17 percent rate hike proposed by Duke Energy Carolinas. Public hearings for feedback on the rate hike continue this week and Duke Energy’s customers are coming…
Read MoreHeath Shuler and Others Who Stood Up Against Dangerous Coal Ash Legislation
Today, Congressmen Heath Shuler (NC), David Price (NC), Mel Watt (NC), Brad Miller (NC), John Yarmuth (KY), Gerry Connolly (VA) and Frank Wolf (VA) voted against H.R. 2273 , the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act, a bill that does nothing to protect our communities from the dangers of toxic coal ash. Though we are…
Read MoreElk Knob Summit Now Accessible
Story and photos by Molly Moore The Elk Knob Summit Trail begins with a casual amble through canopied woods. The 1.8 mile trail is all uphill, and after rising gently for the first quarter mile, carves a series of switchbacks up the mountainside, eventually meeting an old dirt road at the summit. At the top,…
Read MoreIt’s Sad to Say, Fracking’s Here to Stay
A new series of proposed natural gas pipelines will give many states better access to natural gas reserves of the Marcellus Shale, a formation of sedimentary rock that covers much of the Appalachian Basin. The pipelines will connect to larger interstate lines to reach more customers in the northeastern United States and possibly Canada. The…
Read MoreTell Congress We Can’t Afford The Status Quo on Coal Ash!
This Friday, the House of Representatives will vote on H.R. 2273, the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act, a bill that puts the profits of coal ash polluters above public health. H.R. 2273 subverts public support of the EPA’s proposed federal coal ash rules by leaving coal ash pollution in the hands of states with…
Read MoreA Rush of Clean Energy at Pine Root Creek
By Jesse Wood Just as kayakers and farmers love rain during a drought, so does Richard Cobb. “I just constantly hope for rain,” Cobb said. Cobb installed a 5-kilowatt microhydro system on his Mitchell County property in Buladean, N.C. in the late 1990s. Though he is environmentally conscious—green construction is his day job—Cobb’s primary motivation…
Read MoreThe Brook Trout: highlighting local, regional & global environmental issues
By Adam Reaves Riverfest/Development intern, 2011 This latest Creature Feature highlighting NC’s native trout species is the Brook trout. To learn more about native aquatic critters in the area, don’t miss RiverFest on June 4th. Throughout the Southern expanse of the Appalachian Mountains, the Brook trout spends its seven-year lifespan hunting for mollusks, insects, and…
Read MoreVulcan’s Boone Quarry Pollution Problem
Last night I was driving home, and noticed that Laurel Fork (along Hwy 105, just outside of Boone) was running a grayish color. I tracked down the source of the gray water, and it turned out to be the discharge from the Vulcan Boone Quarry (Just south of Boone on 105). Here is a video…
Read MoreVote for Your Favorite Appalachian Photo
By Griff Crews Communications intern, Spring 2011 Interested in seeing some Appalachian Mountain inspired art? Get out to the Turchin Visual Art Center this week to check out photographs of the amazing culture and scenery of the Appalachian Mountains captured by local photographers. Forty-four images from the 8th Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition are currently on…
Read MoreBoone Limits Coal Tar Sealants- Fish and River Lovers Celebrate
Last night (February 15) the Boone Town Council passed strict new regulations aimed to limit the impacts of coal tar based asphalt sealants. Coal tar based asphalt sealants are terrible for the environment and have serious human health effects because they are a major source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). If you have ever stood…
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