Energy Report
A digest of regional energy news
N.C. Communities Take Steps to Block Fracking
Despite efforts at the state level to pave the way for fracking, many North Carolina towns and counties are passing moratoria to block this form of natural gas extraction in their communities.
Coal Ash Management Continues to Challenge Region
Legal challenges continue in North Carolina, as new contamination from coal ash is identified in Tennessee.
Competition in Solar Power Challenges Utilities
Utility companies in North Carolina and Virginia attempt to block third-party solar power from gaining a foothold in their coverage areas.
Former Coal Executive Guilty of Conspiracy to Violate Mine Safety
Don Blankenship was convicted of conspiracy to violate federal mine safety standards, following an investigation into the causes of the Upper Big Branch Mine explosion that killed 29 miners.
Surface Mine Proposal Puts Nearby Community and Endangered Bats At Risk
Local communities and an endangered bat species are threatened by two proposed mountaintop removal coal mines in West Virginia.
