The Front Porch Blog, with Updates from AppalachiaThe Front Porch Blog, with Updates from Appalachia

Coal River Mountain is not a dump

Wednesday, April 11th, 2018 | Posted by Willie Dodson | No Comments

Proposed revisions to the Collins Fork Permit do not meet any reclamation standards set forth to restore ecosystems, forests or garner resources for the community. [ Read More ]


Hold Duke Energy accountable for its illegal coal ash leaks

Tuesday, February 6th, 2018 | Posted by Ridge Graham | No Comments

North Carolina environmental regulators have proposed an arrangement that requires Duke Energy to take some expedited clean-up steps at its Marshall, Allen and Cliffside coal ash ponds. But the proposal doesn't go far enough. The N.C. DEQ needs to hear from you! [ Read More ]


With your help, Virginia legislation can protect our water from pipelines

Tuesday, February 6th, 2018 | Posted by Lara Mack | No Comments

We’ve resisted the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines for more than three years. Now Virginia lawmakers need to hear our voices to ensure that legislation to better protect landowners and water resources from fracked-gas pipelines becomes law. [ Read More ]


1,000 days on bottled water

Friday, January 19th, 2018 | Posted by Ridge Graham | 1 Comment

Last week marked the 1,000th day that hundreds of families in North Carolina have had to use nothing but bottled water for drinking, cooking and bathing because their well water is likely contaminated by one of Duke Energy's leaking coal ash ponds. [ Read More ]


Defending community rights to clean water enforcement

Wednesday, October 18th, 2017 | Posted by Matt Hepler | 1 Comment

After four years of effort, a favorable ruling in Virginia this month confirmed the rights of citizens to participate in coal mine inspections. [ Read More ]


Massive mountaintop removal mine threatens Clearfork Valley

Thursday, September 14th, 2017 | Posted by Willie Dodson | 4 Comments

The Clearfork Valley of Tennessee has been intensely surface-mined going back decades. Now, Kopper Glo Mining is moving forward with a nearly 1,500-acre mountaintop removal mine on nearby Cooper Ridge. [ Read More ]


White House halts review of mountaintop removal health impacts

Tuesday, August 22nd, 2017 | Posted by Erin Savage | No Comments

The U.S. Department of the Interior ordered the National Academy of Sciences to halt its review of the links between mountaintop removal coal mining and human health impacts. [ Read More ]


The fight against the Atlantic Coast Pipeline is not over

Thursday, August 3rd, 2017 | Posted by Ridge Graham | 3 Comments

As expected, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently gave a glowing review to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, overlooking the threats to wetlands, forest, drinking waters and indigenous populations along the pipeline's proposed route. [ Read More ]


Protect natural resources for Southwest Virginia’s future

Wednesday, February 15th, 2017 | Posted by Guest Contributor | No Comments

For all my life, the coal economy has ruled this region and its people," writes Ron Short of Danville, Va., in a letter supporting the Stream Protection Rule. "Now we are facing the demise of the coal industry, and we must save the valuable natural resources that we have left if we are ever to develop cultural tourism and eco-tourism as important parts of a new economy that works for everyone." [ Read More ]


Fighting for clean water after the Stream Protection Rule

Tuesday, February 7th, 2017 | Posted by Erin Savage | No Comments

When Congress voted last week to overturn the Stream Protection Rule, people braced themselves for the coming impacts. But threats to public water from corporate and political interests are nothing new in Central Appalachia, nor is the problem unique to this area. In the face of these threats, communities fighting for clean water need our continued support. [ Read More ]


Final Stream Protection Rule released

Tuesday, December 20th, 2016 | Posted by Erin Savage | No Comments

On Monday, the U.S. Department of the Interior released the Stream Protection Rule, which aims to protect streams from the impacts of surface and longwall mining. The final rule offers only modest improvements to protections for public waterways, but it is well worth defending from congressional attack. [ Read More ]


Trump’s pick for Commerce has troubled history in coal

Monday, December 5th, 2016 | Posted by Erin Savage | No Comments

Wilbur Ross -- a man who helmed a large Kentucky coal company with a troubled history of environmental and miner safety violations -- has been chosen to be the next U.S. Secretary of Commerce. If President-elect Trump truly believes that economic growth and opportunity can only be gained at the expense of worker safety, community health and clean water, he could make no better pick than Ross. [ Read More ]



 

 


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