Nov 9 Environment Mayoral Race in Eastern Kentucky Could Alter City’s Fight Against Surface Mining Newly-re-elected Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has promised to be friendly to the coal industry. But another, smaller election may have more immediate implications: this week voters elected a new mayor in the Harlan County town of Lynch. Lynch sits at the foot of Black Mountain, the highest point in Kentucky. The Kentucky-Virginia state line runs […] By Erica Peterson Nov 9 Environment Mayoral Race in Eastern Kentucky Could Alter City’s Fight Against Surface Mining Erica Peterson
Oct 7 Environment Judge Ruling in EPA Lawsuit May Have Few Practical Implications A judge has ruled with the coal industry in a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency. It’s a victory for the industry, but the decision could have little practical meaning for Kentucky’s coal mines. The judge ruled the EPA overstepped its authority when it instituted an “Enhanced Coordination Procedure” in 2009 to evaluate permits for […] By Erica Peterson Oct 7 Environment Judge Ruling in EPA Lawsuit May Have Few Practical Implications Erica Peterson
Oct 6 Environment Judge Rules in Favor of Coal Industry in Lawsuit Over Mine Permits A federal judge has ruled in favor of the coal industry in a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency. The National Mining Association sued the agency, questioning its jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act to review permits for mountaintop removal mines. Luke Popovich is the spokesman for the NMA. “We’re encouraged and we really think […] By Erica Peterson Oct 6 Environment Judge Rules in Favor of Coal Industry in Lawsuit Over Mine Permits Erica Peterson
Oct 6 Environment Lawyer Files Ethics Complaint Over ‘Appalachian Inbreeding’ Remarks A North Carolina law professor has filed an ethics complaint against the Washington, D.C. law firm that insinuated inbreeding was responsible for birth defects in Appalachia. The law firm made the comments while trying to refute a study connecting mountaintop removal to birth defect rates. Law firm Crowell and Moring raised several issues with the […] By Erica Peterson Oct 6 Environment Lawyer Files Ethics Complaint Over ‘Appalachian Inbreeding’ Remarks Erica Peterson
Sep 28 Environment Associated Press Story Examines Reasons Behind Appalachian Coal Decline The Associated Press had a story out yesterday about declining Appalachian coal reserves, and whether those are more to blame for cuts in the coal industry than federal regulations. The story starts with Jerry Howard, an eastern Kentucky mine owner who closed his mine two years ago. “Business owners like Howard, politicians and miners in […] By Erica Peterson Sep 28 Environment Associated Press Story Examines Reasons Behind Appalachian Coal Decline Erica Peterson
Aug 17 Environment The EPA’s Tour of Eastern Kentucky Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency will be in eastern Kentucky Thursday and Friday, and I’ll be following them on their tour and reporting back. The group includes Gwen Keyes Fleming, the regional administrator, and Lisa Garcia, who is EPA head Lisa Jackson‘s senior advisor for environmental justice. These officials and others from the Region […] By Erica Peterson Aug 17 Environment The EPA’s Tour of Eastern Kentucky Erica Peterson
Aug 16 Environment Poll Shows Public Opinion in Appalachia Against Mountaintop Removal A new poll shows significant opposition to mountaintop removal coal mining in Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee and Virginia. Both Democratic and conservative polling firms conducted the survey, which polled about 1,300 likely voters in the four states. The results show that those polled—even Republicans and Tea Party members—support enforcing and even increasing Clean Water Act […] By Erica Peterson Aug 16 Environment Poll Shows Public Opinion in Appalachia Against Mountaintop Removal Erica Peterson
Aug 11 Environment CNN Poll Finds a Majority of Americans Oppose Mountaintop Removal A poll conducted by CNN of more than 1,000 adult Americans found that 57 percent of them are opposed to the controversial practice of mountaintop removal mining. The cable news network conducted the survey in advance of the premiere of “Battle for Blair Mountain: Working in America,” a documentary produced by Soledad O’Brien. The piece […] By Erica Peterson Aug 11 Environment CNN Poll Finds a Majority of Americans Oppose Mountaintop Removal Erica Peterson
Jul 11 Environment Law Firm Says Inbreeding Skews Data Linking Mountaintop Removal to Birth Defects Last month, researchers at Washington State University and West Virginia University released a study that found a correlation between mountaintop removal and mining birth defects. A law firm with ties to the National Mining Association has refuted the study’s findings, but in the process, insulted many Appalachians. Inbreeding in Appalachia is one of many stereotypes, […] By Erica Peterson Jul 11 Environment Law Firm Says Inbreeding Skews Data Linking Mountaintop Removal to Birth Defects Erica Peterson
Jun 21 Environment Study Links Mountaintop Removal Mining to Birth Defects A new study says babies born in counties where mountaintop removal mining is done may be more likely to suffer birth defects than babies born in counties with other types of coal mining. According to the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Research, babies born in counties in Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee […] By Erica Peterson Jun 21 Environment Study Links Mountaintop Removal Mining to Birth Defects Erica Peterson
Jun 21 Environment Louisville Native’s Film Featured in National Magazine Louisville native Clara Bingham and environmental lawyer Robert Kennedy Jr. were among those recognized in Vanity Fair’s “Hall of Fame” section this month. Bingham produced the film “The Last Mountain,” which chronicled mountaintop removal in West Virginia’s Coal River Valley, and followed locals and Kennedy as they talked about their work to bring renewable energy […] By Erica Peterson Jun 21 Environment Louisville Native’s Film Featured in National Magazine Erica Peterson
Jun 17 Environment East Kentucky Mayor Alleges County-Level Threats Over Opposition to Mining The mayor of a small eastern Kentucky town says a Harlan County executive is threatening to withhold money unless the town compromises with coal companies hoping to open mountaintop removal operations in the area. Taylor Hall has been the mayor of Lynch, Kentucky for less than a month, but he inherited some big problems. The […] By Erica Peterson Jun 17 Environment East Kentucky Mayor Alleges County-Level Threats Over Opposition to Mining Erica Peterson
Jun 6 Environment Kentuckians Among Those Marching to Save West Virginia Mountain Today marks the beginning of a weeklong march in West Virginia to commemorate the role a mountain played in the fight for unionization in the coalfields. When 10,000 coal miners marched 50 miles across the rugged landscape of southern West Virginia in 1921, they didn’t know they would make history. They tied red bandannas around […] By Erica Peterson Jun 6 Environment Kentuckians Among Those Marching to Save West Virginia Mountain Erica Peterson
Jun 3 Environment RFK Jr. Discusses Mountaintop Removal on Comedy Central Show Environmental activist and president of the Waterkeeper Alliance Robert Kennedy Jr. was on The Colbert Report on Wednesday to discuss mountaintop removal (or, as Colbert calls it, ‘flatland enhancement’) and his new movie The Last Mountain. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and is coming to Louisville on Sunday June 12 for the […] By Erica Peterson Jun 3 Environment RFK Jr. Discusses Mountaintop Removal on Comedy Central Show Erica Peterson
Mar 8 Politics Federal Legislation to Expedite EPA Decisions Mirrors Governor’s Stance Congressman Hal Rogers filed the bill, which is similar to legislation introduced by Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul in their chamber. The lawmakers say the EPA takes too long to approve or deny mining permits, and the delays may be an indirect method of rejecting permits. Dick Brown with the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet says Rogers, Paul, McConnell and Governor Steve Beshear share a common frustration with the EPA. By Gabe Bullard Mar 8 Politics Federal Legislation to Expedite EPA Decisions Mirrors Governor’s Stance Gabe Bullard