Sep 27 Economy Meet The Coal Town Betting Big On Outdoor Recreation Standing on the breezy outlook at Flag Rock Recreation Area, Norton City Manager Fred Ramey is taking in the panoramic view of downtown Norton, Virginia. The brick building-lined streets are framed by the verdant, rolling Appalachian mountains. Jagged, brown scars from mountaintop mining operations can be seen in the distance, reminders of the region’s history […] By Brittany Patterson Sep 27 Economy Meet The Coal Town Betting Big On Outdoor Recreation Brittany Patterson
Sep 4 Energy & Environment While “Zombie” Mines Idle, Cleanup And Workers Remain In Limbo The sound of metal banging against metal broke the calm on the high mesa separating Colorado’s Paradox and Big Gypsum valleys. An old rusted headframe marked the entrance to an abandoned uranium mine that, from a distance, looked as if its workers were simply off on a lunch break. Jennifer Thurston, a local environmentalist, paused […] By Mark Olalde and Joe Yerardi Sep 4 Energy & Environment While “Zombie” Mines Idle, Cleanup And Workers Remain In Limbo Mark Olalde and Joe Yerardi
Aug 22 Energy & Environment Mines That Change Owners Have Worse Safety Record, Audit Finds A new federal government report shows that mines that changed ownership had worse safety records than mines where ownership did not change. According to an audit from the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General, mines that changed ownership during a 17-year period were nearly twice as likely to have safety violations, and five […] By Sydney Boles Aug 22 Energy & Environment Mines That Change Owners Have Worse Safety Record, Audit Finds Sydney Boles
Aug 9 Economy “Bloody Harlan” Revisited: Blackjewel Miners Draw On Labor History While Facing Uncertain Future Curtis Cress sat in the gravel beside a railroad track in Harlan County, Kentucky. Tall and thin with a long, black beard, Cress is every bit a coal miner, or, he was until a month ago. “It’s part of my heritage, you know? My dad and papaws had always done it,” he said. “And I’m […] By Sydney Boles Aug 9 Economy “Bloody Harlan” Revisited: Blackjewel Miners Draw On Labor History While Facing Uncertain Future Sydney Boles
Jul 15 Economy “Death Spiral.” How A Carbon Tax Could End Some Coal Towns … Or Fund A New Future Declining coal tax revenues place coal-reliant counties in Appalachia at risk of fiscal collapse, according to new research from the centrist Brookings Institution and Columbia University. Policies designed to prevent further climate change would accelerate that decline, the report found, but could also provide a new stream of revenue to help communities rebound from coal’s […] By Sydney Boles Jul 15 Economy “Death Spiral.” How A Carbon Tax Could End Some Coal Towns … Or Fund A New Future Sydney Boles
Jul 1 Energy & Environment Major Appalachian Coal Company Files For Bankruptcy Protection In the latest sign of problems for the U.S. coal industry, one of the country’s largest coal producers has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. West Virginia-based Revelation Energy LLC and its recently-formed affiliate, Blackjewel LLC, began the bankruptcy reorganization process in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on Monday. […] By Brittany Patterson Jul 1 Energy & Environment Major Appalachian Coal Company Files For Bankruptcy Protection Brittany Patterson
Jun 5 Energy & Environment Federal Prosecutors Say WV Gov. Justice Responsible For Fines Against Family Company Federal prosecutors on Tuesday said they will seek a court ruling to hold West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and his son, Jay Justice, personally accountable for a $1.23 million civil fine imposed on one of the family’s coal businesses, Justice Energy Company, Inc. In a court filing, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West […] By Brittany Patterson Jun 5 Energy & Environment Federal Prosecutors Say WV Gov. Justice Responsible For Fines Against Family Company Brittany Patterson
Apr 9 Energy & Environment Coal Community Residents Again Ask Congress For Health Study Of Mountaintop Removal Residents of Appalachian coal communities told a Congressional subcommittee Tuesday that the controversial mining practice known as mountaintop removal should be halted until its health effects are better studied. Late in the Obama administration the National Academy of Sciences launched a study into the health effects for communities near mountaintop removal coal mines. Donna Branham […] By Jeff Young Apr 9 Energy & Environment Coal Community Residents Again Ask Congress For Health Study Of Mountaintop Removal Jeff Young
Mar 27 Energy & Environment House Subcommittee To Consider Coal Mine Reclamation Bill A congressional subcommittee will hear testimony Thursday in support of a bill that would help clean up and redevelop surface mine land. The bill enjoys bipartisan support, but still faces hurdles. A 2015 report found that as many as 6.2 million acres of land and water were harmed by mining operations that ended prior to […] By Sydney Boles Mar 27 Energy & Environment House Subcommittee To Consider Coal Mine Reclamation Bill Sydney Boles
Jan 18 Energy & Environment Still Fighting: These Widows’ Stories Show Larger Effects of Black Lung Epidemic Nancy and Rich Potter had the kind of marriage that made other couples jealous. He’d take her on spontaneous trips. She’d wear her Daisy Dukes just for him. Joyce Birman said her late husband, George, made a terrible first impression. It was his apology for it that made her fall for him, hard. Vickie Salyers’ […] By Sydney Boles Jan 18 Energy & Environment Still Fighting: These Widows’ Stories Show Larger Effects of Black Lung Epidemic Sydney Boles