In October 2018, the oldest coal company in the United States filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. While now largely operating in the western United States, Westmoreland has many ties to Southwest Virginia. [ Read More ]
Westmoreland Coal’s Appalachian connection
Wednesday, January 9th, 2019 | Posted by Matt Hepler | No Comments
100 sign letter to Va. air board to reject frack-gas facility in African-American community
Tuesday, December 11th, 2018 | Posted by Cat McCue | No Comments
Environmental justice advocates Karenna Gore, Mustafa Santiago Ali, Don Cheadle and Ed Begley, Jr. were among the 100 people who signed a letter to Va. regulators urging a denial of huge compressor station in the largely African-American community of Union Hill. [ Read More ]
Central Appalachia’s newest coal boss facing bankruptcies
Monday, December 10th, 2018 | Posted by Erin Savage | No Comments
Virginia businessman Tom Clarke's foray into the coal industry initially looked promising for addressing environmental and community problems. Now, however, his business model is looking questionable. [ Read More ]
Virginia electric co-ops fight to keep doors closed to members
Monday, December 3rd, 2018 | Posted by Brianna Knisley | 2 Comments
Rural electric co-ops were set up as democratic institutions, but have increasingly become unresponsive to their customers, who are also owner-members. In Virginia, members of two co-ops are challenging the status quo. [ Read More ]
Coal industry sees bankruptcies and exports in volatile 2018
Monday, November 26th, 2018 | Posted by Erin Savage | No Comments
Some coal companies appear to be banking on opportunities for short-term gain with metallurgical coal, but the metallurgical market can only prop up the industry for so long. [ Read More ]
Army Corps suspends stream crossing permit for entire Atlantic Coast Pipeline
Friday, November 23rd, 2018 | Posted by Front Porch Blog | 6 Comments
An essential permit for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline was suspended on Wednesday, effectively shutting down work at more than 1,500 stream and wetland crossings along the fracked gas line's 600-mile route. [ Read More ]
Gov. Northam dismisses regulators who expressed concerns about pipelines
Tuesday, November 20th, 2018 | Posted by Front Porch Blog | 1 Comment
In shocking move, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam dismissed three regulators from state permitting boards who had expressed concerns about the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines.
[ Read More ]
Blue Ridge Energy’s solar policies among the worst in Southeast
Saturday, November 17th, 2018 | Posted by Lauren Essick | No Comments
A new report shows that Blue Ride Energy has some of the worst solar policies in the Southeast. That's why we created a petition calling on Blue Ridge to support solar access and increase the cooperative's transparency with its member-owners. [ Read More ]
Revitalizing Ouachita: How One Electric Co-op is Moving Forward
Thursday, November 15th, 2018 | Posted by AV's Intern Team | 2 Comments
Ouachita Electric Cooperative in Arkansas offers programs that make energy efficiency and high-speed internet accessible and affordable, and is using solar to help grow the local economy and save money. If Ouachita can do it, what's stopping other electric co-ops from following suit? [ Read More ]
Virginia ignores risk, allows Atlantic Coast Pipeline work
Thursday, October 25th, 2018 | Posted by Kevin Ridder | No Comments
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality approved Clean Water Act permits for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, brushing off concerns from the Governor’s Advisory Council on Environmental Justice. [ Read More ]
Southwest Virginia group challenges surface mine proposed near UVA-Wise
Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 | Posted by Willie Dodson | No Comments
The mining company’s executive is the former head of the corporation responsible for the 2004 mining accident that killed 3-year-old Jeremy Davidson. [ Read More ]
Our air. Our lives.
Thursday, October 18th, 2018 | Posted by Lara Mack | No Comments
Hundreds of Virginians voiced their concerns this summer about a massive fracked gas compressor station proposed in the heart of Virginia as part of the risky Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Some of them have everything at stake -- their health, home and heritage as part of the historic African-American community of Union Hill. [ Read More ]
