Mar 1 Energy & Environment Clean Water Wanted: Contaminated Wells And The Legacy Of Fossil Fuel Extraction “You seen that one with the tombstone up there?” seven-year-old Timothy Easterling asks, looking toward the grass just uphill from his home. “That’s my papaw.” Timothy’s grandfather Chet Blankenship died in 2016, at age 69. Blankenship lived on land he and his family have long owned at the end of a road atop Bradshaw Mountain […] By Benny Becker Mar 1 Energy & Environment Clean Water Wanted: Contaminated Wells And The Legacy Of Fossil Fuel Extraction Benny Becker
Jan 22 Energy & Environment New Testing Reveals ‘Forever Chemicals’ In More Water Systems Across OH, PA, U.S. New testing by the Environmental Working Group has identified the presence of toxic fluorinated chemicals, broadly known as PFAS, in the tap water of dozens of cities across the U.S. where contamination was not previously known. EWG, an advocacy organization that tracks environmental pollutants in consumer products, sampled water in 44 places between May and […] By Brittany Patterson Jan 22 Energy & Environment New Testing Reveals ‘Forever Chemicals’ In More Water Systems Across OH, PA, U.S. Brittany Patterson
Dec 19 Infrastructure Rising Waters: Aging Levees, Climate Change And The Challenge To Hold Back The Ohio River When 78-year-old Jim Casto looks at the towering floodwalls that line downtown Huntington, West Virginia, he sees a dark history of generations past. The longtime journalist and local historian is short in stature, yet tall in neighborhood tales. On Casto’s hand shines a solid gold ring, signifying his more than 40 years of reporting at […] By Liam Niemeyer Dec 19 Infrastructure Rising Waters: Aging Levees, Climate Change And The Challenge To Hold Back The Ohio River Liam Niemeyer
Dec 4 Energy & Environment Tracing Water, Memory and Change Through Black Experiences Along and Near Route 65 I live right above the Ohio River, off of a thoroughfare called the Ohio River Boulevard. It is one section of Route 65 – a 51-mile stretch of highway that travels from downtown Pittsburgh, northwest to the city of New Castle. The route spans three counties, three major rivers and several neighborhoods, boroughs, towns and […] By Njaimeh Njie Dec 4 Energy & Environment Tracing Water, Memory and Change Through Black Experiences Along and Near Route 65 Njaimeh Njie
Nov 25 Infrastructure Rural Water Loss Investigation Reveals Widespread Financial Challenges Kentucky’s Public Service Commission released results of a months-long investigation into high rates of water loss in certain rural water districts. The findings point to systematic financial and managerial challenges facing rural districts, and solutions would likely require sweeping legislative change. The PSC launched its investigation in March after 11 rural districts, most of them […] By Sydney Boles Nov 25 Infrastructure Rural Water Loss Investigation Reveals Widespread Financial Challenges Sydney Boles
Nov 22 Energy & Environment ‘Dark Waters’ Puts PFAS Saga On Big Screen As Ohio Valley Contamination Comes To Light The new film “Dark Waters” depicts the real-life story of the 20-year battle waged by attorney Rob Bilott against chemical giant DuPont. We meet Bilott, played by Mark Ruffalo, as a young corporate defense lawyer living in Cincinnati. His grandmother, who lives in Parkersburg, West Virginia, gives his phone number to local farmer, Earl Tennant. […] By Brittany Patterson Nov 22 Energy & Environment ‘Dark Waters’ Puts PFAS Saga On Big Screen As Ohio Valley Contamination Comes To Light Brittany Patterson
Nov 18 Energy & Environment Ohio Valley Residents Among Millions In America Lacking Access To Clean Water, Sanitation Communities across the Ohio Valley are among an estimated 2 million Americans that do not have consistent access to clean drinking water and basic indoor plumbing, according to a report published Monday by two nonprofits, DigDeep and the US Water Alliance. The report titled, “Closing the Water Access Gap in the United States,” synthesized data […] By Brittany Patterson Nov 18 Energy & Environment Ohio Valley Residents Among Millions In America Lacking Access To Clean Water, Sanitation Brittany Patterson
Nov 14 Energy & Environment The water is cleaner but the politics are messier: A look back at the Clean Water Act movement after 50 years In June 1969, a Time Magazine article garnered national attention when it brought to light the water quality conditions in Ohio: a river had literally caught fire. Oil-soaked debris ignited after sparks, likely from a passing train, set the slick ablaze. Local media actually didn’t spend much time reporting on the fire. This was, after […] By Lucia Walinchus Nov 14 Energy & Environment The water is cleaner but the politics are messier: A look back at the Clean Water Act movement after 50 years Lucia Walinchus
Nov 14 Energy & Environment Paddling 300 miles to protect the waters of Ohi:yo’, the ‘good river’ For degawëno:da’s, paddling the length of the Allegheny River over the course of four months this year was to be a “witness to the raw element of the natural world.” The roughly 300-mile trip began on May 18 at the river’s headwaters near Coudersport, Pa., and ended on Sept. 21 by the Point State Park […] By Ryan Loew Nov 14 Energy & Environment Paddling 300 miles to protect the waters of Ohi:yo’, the ‘good river’ Ryan Loew
Nov 4 Energy & Environment EPA Proposes Changes To Federal Coal Ash, Wastewater Rules Federal environmental regulators released proposed changes to two rules related to the disposal of coal ash and wastewater from coal-fired power plants. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced its third round of changes to its 2015 rule regulating coal ash. Coal ash is one of the largest waste streams in the country and […] By Brittany Patterson Nov 4 Energy & Environment EPA Proposes Changes To Federal Coal Ash, Wastewater Rules Brittany Patterson