This is awful. Absolutely terrible. Its already pretty bad that the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) used the anti American, anti-democracy Bonner and Associates as their PR firm even though they are known for breaking the law by impersonating public groups and private individuals to promote such things as smoking in the workplace. [...]

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Thanks to the folks at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network

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Appalachian Voices’ very own Matt Wasson and Benji Burrell, and Coal River Mountain Watch’s Lorelei Scarbro star in a film by Google Earth, celebrating Appalachian Voices as a Google Earth Hero—inspiring the world to take initiative!
“We are thrilled by the fact that hundreds of millions of people around the world use Google Earth to discover, [...]

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The following is an explanation of what would happen if the blasting on coal river mountain caused the breach of the largest slurry impoundment in the United States.
Borrowed from the blog at endmtr.com. Authored by Denny Tyler
With mountaintop removal starting on Coal River Mountain, which means blasting is going to be occurring uncomfortably close to [...]

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Last week the National Research Council (part of the National Academy of Science) released a report that the US Government commissioned back in 2005 to find the true cost of our energy titled, “Hidden Costs of Energy: Unpriced Consequences of Energy Production and Use.”
The quick and dirty: Our energy production and use in 2005 [...]

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Today the most widely circulated newspaper in the United States, USA Today, announced their stance against mountaintop removal. You can read the editorial and the opposing view here. Below is a cross post from the Ohio Citizen Action blog that lists all the major and Appalachian newspapers who have an editorial stance against mountaintop removal. [...]

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Release date: 10/26/2009
Contact Information: David Sternberg (215)814-5548 Sternberg.David@epa.gov
(PHILADELPHIA – October 26, 2009) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a series of public meetings to discuss the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) – a strict “pollution diet” to restore the Chesapeake Bay and its network of local rivers, streams and creeks.
EPA is [...]

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Six hearings, in six Appalachian coal producing states, were held last week to determine the fate of Nationwide Permit 21. If this permitting process is suspended by the Army Corps of Engineers, coal companies seeking permits for mountaintop removal mining that include valley fills will be held to more rigorous standards, be scrutinized under individual [...]

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Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
John Adams has been mining coal in southwest Virginia for almost 40 years. I met him in the hallway outside the auditorium where the Big Stone Gap hearing was being held. He wore an ‘I Love Mountains’ pin proudly fastened next to the ‘Friends of Coal’ logo on the black t-shirt he [...]

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Date: Oct. 19, 2009
Contacts: Sara Frueh, Media Relations Officer
Alison Burnette, Media Relations Assistant
Office of News and Public Information
202-334-2138; e-mail <news@nas.edu>

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON — A new report from the National Research Council examines and, when possible, estimates “hidden” costs of energy production and use — such as the damage air pollution imposes on [...]

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Its focused on West Virginia but its such a good film, and enough of this is going on in Virginia (67 mountains so far) that I thought I’d post it.
http://e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2198

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Download the report
The Sierra Club today released a groundbreaking new report that reaffirms the economic benefits of ending mountaintop removal coal mining and transitioning to clean energy sources in Appalachia.
The report shows that America can have affordable electricity without mountaintop removal because many factors contribute to the cost of electricity, with coal prices playing just [...]

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As Congress was returning from the August recess, there wasn’t much news about the climate bill.  The only energy-related news breaking through the coverage of the rancorous health care debates and town-hall tea parties was a study on “energy sprawl” published by five staff members of the Nature Conservancy.
“Renewable Energy Needs Land, Lots Of Land” [...]

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Press Statement: EPA Regional Recommends All 79 Mountaintop Removal Permits For Further Review

Statement to the Press
September 30, 2009
EPA Regional: All 79 Mountaintop
Removal Permits Need Further Review
Appalachian Mountain Communities Breathe Sigh of Relief
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CONTACT:
Willa Mays, Appalachian Voices - 828-262-1500
Sandra Diaz, Appalachian Voices - 828-262-1500
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From the Charlottesville Daily Progess
RICHMOND, Va. - Environmentalists are appealing a ruling upholding a permit governing carbon dioxide emissions at a Dominion Virginia Power plant under construction in Virginia’s coalfields.
Southern Environmental Law Center attorney Cale Jaffe says a notice of appeal was sent Wednesday to the Virginia Court of Appeals. The law center represents [...]

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