Pickers of all Ages to Take the Stage at RiverFest

By Appalachian Voices | May 9, 2011 |

By Parker Stevens Parker served as Development Associate for Appalachian Voices from January 2010 to December 2011, coordinating our membership and directing two Riverkeeper festivals for the organization. She left to head up the Appalachian Women’s Fund based in Boone, N.C. Appalachian Voices’ 2nd annual RiverFest is coming up on June 4th at the beautiful…

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Vulcan’s Boone Quarry Pollution Problem

By Eric Chance | April 21, 2011 |

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…

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Another Coal Company on the Run

By Eric Chance | March 10, 2011 |

Yesterday we announced our intent to sue Nally and Hamilton Enterprises for more than 12,000 violations of the clean water act at more than a dozen of its strip mines in Eastern Kentucky. Click here for more information on that action. Later in the day we noticed something odd about their website, it was gone.…

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Another Kentucky Coal Company Falsifies Water Monitoring Data

By Eric Chance | March 9, 2011 |

Working in coalition with national and state-wide environmental and social justice groups, we are once again seeking justice for clean water in Appalachia. At 2pm today, Appalachian Voices and partners announced an intent to sue yet another coal company in Kentucky for violations of the Clean Water Act – this time with a single outfit…

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Boone Limits Coal Tar Sealants- Fish and River Lovers Celebrate

By Eric Chance | February 16, 2011 |

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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Great News for Clean Water in Kentucky

By Eric Chance | February 11, 2011 |

In a precedent setting move today, Judge Phillip Shepherd granted limited intervention rights to Appalachian Voices, KFTC, the Kentucky Riverkeeper and Waterkeeper Alliance in the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Case against International Coal Group (ICG) and Frasure Creek Mining. Here is the full press release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Judge grants environmental groups the right…

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Come Out and Fight for Clean Water

By Eric Chance | February 4, 2011 |

Attention Boonies! Come out this Monday night to support strong new regulations on coal tar based asphalt sealants, the source of the Hodges Creek fish kill last summer. The Boone Town Council will be having a public hearing on Monday, February 7th at 7:00pm at the Boone Town Council Chambers (next to the police station…

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America Says: Keep Your Dirty Hands Off My Clean Water Act!

By JW Randolph | February 1, 2011 |

Senator Manchin, Reps. McKinley and Young: Taking the Clean out of the Clean Water Act Some members of Congress have started a war on the Clean Water Act by attempting to revoke a vital resource that allows the EPA do its job to better protect our nation’s waterways. Congressman McKinley (R-WV01) recently introduced legislation (

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Kentucky Legal Action Update

By Eric Chance | January 31, 2011 |

Last Thursday there was a hearing to decide if we would be allowed to intervene in the interest of clean water in a legal case between the state of Kentucky and ICG and Frasure Creek Mining. The Appalachian Water Watch team shot a short video in the court room prior to the start of the…

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