This week, Appalachian Voices and 12 partner organizations are on Capitol Hill to tell Congress to protect our communities by making coal companies clean up their functionally abandoned coal mines, known as zombie mines. [ Read More ]
BLOGGER INDEX
AV's Intern Team
Every year, Appalachian Voices is fortunate to assemble a phenomenal team of rockstar interns from numerous Appalachian and East Coast universities. Enjoy these posts from our interns.A week of action to stop zombie coal mines
Thursday, June 13th, 2024 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | No Comments
Coal bankruptcies continue to put a strain on communities
Tuesday, May 14th, 2024 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | No Comments
It is far too easy for coal companies to use bankruptcy to effectively hit a reset button. Once they file for bankruptcy, damages they caused and obligations they committed to are often no longer their responsibility. [ Read More ]
The slow, steady process of making regulators and coal companies monitor pollution
Tuesday, April 30th, 2024 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | No Comments
In late summer of 2022, Appalachian Voices discovered selenium, a common pollutant associated with coal mining, in high concentrations in certain streams in the Big Sandy River watershed in Pike County, Kentucky. These waterways receive runoff from the S-1 Hunts Branch Surface Mine, a nearly 2,000-acre mountaintop removal coal mine operated by Lexington Coal Company. [ Read More ]
New report shows alarming lack of mine cleanup progress in Kentucky
Wednesday, February 7th, 2024 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | 1 Comment
A recent study found that nearly 40% of the “active” surface permits in Kentucky have been sitting idle for the last five years. The coal companies responsible for those mine permits did not produce any coal, nor did they make any progress in cleaning up the sites. [ Read More ]
Carbon removal on reforested mine lands: One nature-based solution for two deep challenges
Monday, February 13th, 2023 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | 1 Comment
Imagine a landscape that, 10 years ago, was a moonscape mountaintop removal coal mine and is now carefully managed as a large-scale working forest growing trees to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and combat climate change. Appalachian Voices is exploring making this vision a reality in the years to come through a reforestation project that engages with the emerging carbon offset market. [ Read More ]
Fighting for RGGI and the climate
Tuesday, September 20th, 2022 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | No Comments
Communications intern Noah Vickers reports on six climate rallies that recently took place in support of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in Virginia. [ Read More ]
How places of worship can benefit from switching to solar with the help of the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund
Friday, August 19th, 2022 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | No Comments
On July 28, Appalachian Voices partnered with the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund, Volt Energy Utility and St. Paul Lutheran Church to present a webinar to specifically encourage places of faith to make the switch to solar energy. [ Read More ]
Support shown for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative with a “march backwards”
Wednesday, July 20th, 2022 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | No Comments
Rallygoers in Richmond opposed Gov. Glenn Youngkin's efforts to remove Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. [ Read More ]
From the Rockies to Appalachia: Virginia can look to Colorado for electric co-op reform
Thursday, October 14th, 2021 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | No Comments
Undemocratic governance at Virginia's electric cooperatives is a serious issue that has left co-op members across the state frustrated and ready for reform. Closed-door board meetings and unfair voting practices are two of the issues members hope to change in 2022. [ Read More ]
Miners with black lung call on Congress to protect benefits
Wednesday, September 1st, 2021 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | No Comments
In an August webinar, advocates and representatives of the Black Lung Association discussed the critical importance for the passage of a permanent 25% increase to the Black Lung Excise Tax on coal companies. [ Read More ]
Utility disconnection protections: Let’s make it permanent
Monday, August 30th, 2021 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | No Comments
Shutting off electricity and other vital utilities of families who can't afford their bills is unjust. During a pandemic, it's barbaric. Appalachian Voices offers solutions. [ Read More ]
Highlights from the Energy Democracy in Action webinar series
Wednesday, August 18th, 2021 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | No Comments
Advocates from across the country shared stories of how they gained control over how and where their power is produced during the first two webinars of the three-part Energy Democracy In Action series. Read the highlights and register for the third webinar. [ Read More ]
