Posts Tagged ‘West Virginia’
New Vision
By Matt Grimley The sun is beating down on a mid-July afternoon in Philippi, W.Va., but that doesn’t stop Ruston Seaman and the youth mentoring group from playing ultimate frisbee. Their shouts — “Take your time!” and “Go left! Go left!” — echo throughout the community. When they finish, Seaman jumps into his old red…
Read MoreNative Bivalves “Musseling” Their Way Back into Appalachian Streams
By Matt Grimley Waterways are sometimes disturbed by humans, and mussels are often the first to feel the pain. Thankfully, conservationists are working to repair native Appalachian populations of the bivalve. In West Virginia, the state Division of Natural Resources is using fish to restore pollution-damaged populations of pink heelsplitter mussels, and they’ve found an…
Read MoreARC Develops New Community Capital Bank to Invest in Appalachia
By Chelsey Fisher The Appalachian Regional Commission opened a new bank called Appalachian Community Capital in June to increase loans and other capital that small businesses in Appalachia receive. Industry analyses have shown that over the past several years, banks across the nation have instituted tighter credit requirements for small-business lending and reduced their risk-taking…
Read MoreReport Tracks Appalachian Coal’s Continuing Decline
By Brian Sewell A report released in May by the West Virginia-based consulting firm Downstream Strategies underscores the need for investment in Central Appalachian counties hardest hit by a decline in coal production and demand. By looking at market and regulatory factors, plus trends in the U.S. and abroad, the report offers a comprehensive examination…
Read MoreFirst National Monument in West Virginia Proposed
By Chelsey Fisher The Birthplace of Rivers is an area in the Monongahela National Forest of West Virginia known for its preserved wildlife and ecological features. It includes some of West Virginia’s tallest waterfalls and cleanest waterways, and is considered one of the largest expanses of wild forest in the eastern part of the country.…
Read MoreA Must-Read Report, Another Reminder It’s Time to Build Something New in Central Appalachia
The litany of voices pointing to the writing on the wall for the Central Appalachian coal industry continues to grow. They’re saying the same thing in almost every way imaginable, and have been for some time. Watching coal production decline and demand shift as other energy sources out-compete coal domestically, it is vital that policymakers…
Read MoreClean Water Protection Act Introduced with 45 Cosponsors
Yesterday, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA) introduced the Clean Water Protection Act in the 113th Congress with 45 original cosponsors. The Clean Water Protection Act, H.R. 1837, is a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives which would sharply reduce mountaintop removal coal mining by making it illegal to dump mining…
Read MoreWho Represents us in the 113th Congress?
The 113th session of the U.S. Senate began on Jan. 3, with the Democratic party gaining two seats as a result of the November election — only slightly increasing its majority control to 53. We take a look at the 10 central and southern Appalachian senators: Who represents us? VIRGINIA Tim Kaine While serving as…
Read MoreA Return to the States
By Appalachian Voices staff State legislatures in Appalachia are using their authority on health care reform, taxes, education, and energy and environmental policy to accomplish their own agendas, and sometimes, to rebuke federal policies. Here is the latest from our region’s representation. Virginia As he prepares to leave office this fall, Gov. Bob McDonnell will…
Read MoreThe Appalachian States of Energy Efficiency
By Matt Grimley Every year, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy releases rankings on individual state’s energy efficiency performance. And every year, Appalachia is middling at best in saving energy. The ACEEE’s State Energy Efficiency Scorecard examines everything from building codes to utility programs and policies to determine who takes the top spot. 2012’s…
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