Podcasts about appalachian voices

For residents of former and current mining communities (especially in Appalachia, the Midwest, and the Mountain West), abandoned mines are a familiar—and often dangerous—aspect of the local landscape. Unreclaimed abandoned mines and infrastructure can leak acid drainage, pollute groundwater, or collapse unexpectedly. Guests Kevin Zedack and Matt Hepler (both from Appalachian Voices) sit down with Daniel and EESI's newest communications associate, Hannah Wilson-Black, to explain how cleaning up these sites can safeguard ecosystems and human health while providing new economic development opportunities in coal communities.   Show notes: Central Appalachian Mine Reforestation Assessment (Appalachian Voices resource): https://skytruth.org/mtr-data-files/  Plugging Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells Provides Climate and Jobs Benefits (article): https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/plugging-orphaned-oil-and-gas-wells-provides-climate-and-jobs-benefits  Unlocking Rural Economies: Farm Bill Investments in Rural America (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/052423farmbill 

Appalachian Voices v. FERC

We spent a week in the Smokies in order to study the Missing 411 cases in person. We have new opinions. Welcome back to The Lore Lodge... https://www.bunkerbranding.com/pages/the-lore-lodge If you are able, please consider donating to any of the listed organizations recommended by Appalachian Voices: https://appvoices.org/helene-relief/ Google Doc compiling resources and orgs: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14hx_zisRfU65zxNyDvdJkar_k11DIgOj-4X_F13WYPI/edit#heading=h.kfkkt8x805k5 Subscribe on Patreon to support The Lore Lodge for just $1 per month! https://patreon.com/thelorelodge Get our new signature coffee blend at https://tablowroastingco.com/products/the-lore-lodge-mt-pocono-perk Shop our online retail store, find other content, and buy our partners' products at https://linktr.ee/theaidanmattis Discord: https://bit.ly/jointhelodge Shop sustainable products at https://www.gaiaindustrees.com/ using code "LORE" Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCctfIbo24UITlmfJbednOqA/join

Jason Watts is the man who found the remains of Brandon Lawson. He and @LocalLegendsBertonMoran join us to talk about one of the weirdest unsolved disappearances to involve a 911 call. Welcome back to The Lore Lodge... https://www.bunkerbranding.com/pages/the-lore-lodge If you are able, please consider donating to any of the listed organizations recommended by Appalachian Voices: https://appvoices.org/helene-relief/ Google Doc compiling resources and orgs: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14hx_zisRfU65zxNyDvdJkar_k11DIgOj-4X_F13WYPI/edit#heading=h.kfkkt8x805k5 Subscribe on Patreon to support The Lore Lodge for just $1 per month! https://patreon.com/thelorelodge Get our new signature coffee blend at https://tablowroastingco.com/products/the-lore-lodge-mt-pocono-perk Shop our online retail store, find other content, and buy our partners' products at https://linktr.ee/theaidanmattis Discord: https://bit.ly/jointhelodge Shop sustainable products at https://www.gaiaindustrees.com/ using code "LORE" Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCctfIbo24UITlmfJbednOqA/join

The Lore Lads are joined by horror narrators @swampdweller and @DarknessPrevails for a lively conversation about what makes a good horror story, how things change when talking about a real event versus a fictional tale, and what happens when a scary story inspires real life terrors. Welcome back to The Lore Lodge... https://www.bunkerbranding.com/pages/the-lore-lodge If you are able, please consider donating to any of the listed organizations recommended by Appalachian Voices: https://appvoices.org/helene-relief/ Google Doc compiling resources and orgs: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14hx_zisRfU65zxNyDvdJkar_k11DIgOj-4X_F13WYPI/edit#heading=h.kfkkt8x805k5 Subscribe on Patreon to support The Lore Lodge for just $1 per month! https://patreon.com/thelorelodge Get our new signature coffee blend at https://tablowroastingco.com/products/the-lore-lodge-mt-pocono-perk Shop our online retail store, find other content, and buy our partners' products at https://linktr.ee/theaidanmattis Discord: https://bit.ly/jointhelodge Shop sustainable products at https://www.gaiaindustrees.com/ using code "LORE" Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCctfIbo24UITlmfJbednOqA/join

Back to basics. Welcome back to The Lore Lodge... If you are able, please consider donating to any of the listed organizations recommended by Appalachian Voices: https://appvoices.org/helene-relief/ Google Doc compiling resources and orgs: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14hx_zisRfU65zxNyDvdJkar_k11DIgOj-4X_F13WYPI/edit#heading=h.kfkkt8x805k5 Subscribe on Patreon to support The Lore Lodge for just $1 per month! https://patreon.com/thelorelodge Get our new signature coffee blend at https://tablowroastingco.com/products/the-lore-lodge-mt-pocono-perk Shop our online retail store, find other content, and buy our partners' products at https://linktr.ee/theaidanmattis Discord: https://bit.ly/jointhelodge Shop sustainable products at https://www.gaiaindustrees.com/ using code "LORE" Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCctfIbo24UITlmfJbednOqA/join

Welcome back to The Lore Lodge... If you are able, please consider donating to any of the listed organizations recommended by Appalachian Voices: https://appvoices.org/helene-relief/ Google Doc compiling resources and orgs: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14hx_zisRfU65zxNyDvdJkar_k11DIgOj-4X_F13WYPI/edit#heading=h.kfkkt8x805k5 Subscribe on Patreon to support The Lore Lodge for just $1 per month! https://patreon.com/thelorelodge Get our new signature coffee blend at https://tablowroastingco.com/products/the-lore-lodge-mt-pocono-perk Shop our online retail store, find other content, and buy our partners' products at https://linktr.ee/theaidanmattis Discord: https://bit.ly/jointhelodge Shop sustainable products at https://www.gaiaindustrees.com/ using code "LORE" Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCctfIbo24UITlmfJbednOqA/join

Since Hurricane Helene hit the Carolinas, a shocking amount of flooding has devastated the region. As hurricanes do not typically have such a strong effect this far inland, emergency services are struggling to keep up with the situation facing them. There are ways that we can help. Welcome back to The Lore Lodge... If you are able, please consider donating to any of the listed organizations recommended by Appalachian Voices: https://appvoices.org/helene-relief/ Google Doc compiling resources and orgs: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14hx_zisRfU65zxNyDvdJkar_k11DIgOj-4X_F13WYPI/edit#heading=h.kfkkt8x805k5 Subscribe on Patreon to support The Lore Lodge for just $1 per month! https://patreon.com/thelorelodge Get our new signature coffee blend at https://tablowroastingco.com/products/the-lore-lodge-mt-pocono-perk Shop our online retail store, find other content, and buy our partners' products at https://linktr.ee/theaidanmattis Discord: https://bit.ly/jointhelodge Shop sustainable products at https://www.gaiaindustrees.com/ using code "LORE" Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCctfIbo24UITlmfJbednOqA/join

On this West Virginia Morning, differences in opinion on how to build high ground communities in Eastern Kentucky and a conversation with the editor of a new collection of essays. The post Negotiating Higher Ground And Emerging Appalachian Voices This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Kari Gunter-Seymour first appeared on Rattlecast 48 and was interviewed in our Appalachian Poets issue. She is the current Poet Laureate of Ohio and just published a new book of poems, Dirt Songs. Her previous poetry collections include Alone in the House of My Heart and A Place So Deep Inside America It Can't Be Seen, winner of the 2020 Ohio Poet of the Year Award. A ninth-generation Appalachian, she is the editor of I Thought I Heard A Cardinal Sing: Ohio's Appalachian Voices, funded by the Academy of American Poets and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Women of Appalachia Project's anthology series Women Speak. For more on Kari, visit her website: https://www.karigunterseymourpoet.com/ As always, we'll also include the live Prompt Lines for responses to our weekly prompt. A Zoom link will be provided in the chat window during the show before that segment begins. For links to all the past episodes, visit: https://www.rattle.com/rattlecast/ This Week's Prompt: Write a traditional ghazal that references at least one other poet. When submitting, please include the name of the poets referenced in the submission note. Next Week's Prompt: Write journalistic poem that explores the sensory details of where you live. The Rattlecast livestreams on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, then becomes an audio podcast. Find it on iTunes, Spotify, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.

In this episode, Neil and Will sit down with Emily Hudson the Executive Director and Founder of the Southeast Kentucky African American Museum and Cultural Center (SEKYAAMCC).  Born and raised in the hills of Eastern Kentucky, Emily explains what led her away and what eventually brought her back to the place she has always called "home."  In light of Black History Month, the SEKYAAMCC is a place that celebrates black history in Appalachia every month (not just one month a year), but more importantly provides a platform to tell the stories of Appalachia that were often overlooked or just unheard.  Take a listen as she describes moving for opportunity, finding her identity and why she is so passionate about preserving the past and educating about local history.  You might even hear the guys thoughts on the NBA Slam-Dunk Competition - or can we now call it the Appalachian Championship?  Also, don't forget about the #AppBiz of the week: D.A.A.D. Distilling!   Southeast Kentucky African American Museum and Cultural Center - www.sekyaamc.org "Issues and Answers" with Emily Hudson - www.wymt.com/2024/01/16/issues-answers-emily-jones-hudson/ "Soul Miner" by Emily Hudson - www.amazon.com/Soul-Miner-Emily-Jones-Hudson/dp/154561301X  AppNews: Mac McClung -  "Appalachian Voices" (article) - https://wvdn.com/134245/?fbclid=IwAR1gS_Ejh10jYAEp-11TixgbWL5g1xU6laFItyM55UhSShK0j7K_iASKDMA  Greenbrier Vally Theatre - https://ci.ovationtix.com/35773/production/1188664  Brookings Institute - https://www.brookings.edu/articles/black-wealth-is-increasing-but-so-is-the-racial-wealth-gap/  New Center Marshall University - https://blackbygod.org/articles/civics/african-american-economicdevelopment-at-marshall-university/  #AppBiz: D.A.A.D. Distilling Article - https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2023/09/25/daad-distilling-company  D.A.A.D. Distilling Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/DAADdistillingCoLLC 

Appalachian Voices will host a new art exhibition, “Environment at Risk,” at the Gumenick Family Gallery of The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, beginning Sept. 14.   “Environment at Risk” features paintings, drawings, sculpture and art installations from more than 40 regional artists inspired by the natural world, and showcases the impacts to local communities and ecosystems from environmental threats. An opening reception, featuring live music from Holy River, will be held Sept. 14 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.  The exhibit will be on display until Nov. 5 and is free and open to the public.  For details,...Article LinkSupport the show

Environmental Law: Is the construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline exempt from generally applicable environmental laws? - Argued: Thu, 27 Jul 2023 11:29:30 EDT

Tip Jar: https://GiveSendGo.com/Rebunked The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has announced plans to build a huge methane power plant in the beautiful small town of Ashland City in rural Middle Tennessee to provide power to Nashville, while there are plenty of empty industrial parks in the city where it could be housed. Local homesteader, Will Halsey, who lives less than a mile from the proposed site, joins the show to discuss the community's concerns and how the community is coming together to fight back. For more information, contact will at innstead.permaculture@gmail.com For more information, visit Appalachian Voices: https://appvoices.org/2023/06/14/cheatham-gas-plant/ Check out The Last American Vagabond Substack: https://TLAVAgabond.substack.com Check out the Unjected Substack! https://Unjected.substack.com  Rebunked News is happy to shout out: Autonomy: Gain the high-value skills for lifelong success in just 12 weeks. Learn more: https://www.universityofreason.com/a/29887/2WU6ALrf Get your own doctor for$10/month with The Wellness Company: https://bit.ly/twcrebunked and save 5% with code: REBUNKEDNEWS Start your Heavy Metal Detox Journey with TruthTRS: https://TruthTRS.com If you want to follow and support REBUNKED, head over to https://REBUNKED.news, where you will find links to all of our platforms and ways to support the show. VALUE-FOR-VALUE DONATION: https://Rebunked.news VENMO: https://account.venmo.com/u/rebunked  CASHAPP: https://cash.app/$rebunked  PAYPAL: https://Paypal.me/Rebunked  T-SHIRTS: https://Rebunked.news/Shirts PREMIUM CONTENT: https://SubscribeStar.com/Rebunked TELEGRAM: https://t.me/Rebunkednews FLOTE.app: https://flote.app/Rebunkednews GAB: https://gab.com/rebunkednews INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/rebunkednews TWITTER: https://twitter.com/rebunkednews Theme Song: Now Arise by Rhymewave: https://linktr.ee/rhymewave

In this episode Neil and Will talk "new economy" with the non-profit advocacy group Appalachian Voices.  Take a listen as they sit down with Robert Kell (New Economy Program Manager) and Autumn Long (Appalachian Solar Finance Fund Director) to discuss building a generative and equitable economy in the region.  They'll define the idea behind the New Economy Program and how solar is fast becoming a priority for their organization and for the region.  Started in 1997, they remained focused on bringing people together to protect the land, air and water of Central and Southern Appalachia.  In addition, you might even hear Neil's thoughts on the new to be state food of West Virginia, and how long is too long for  a "hot turning wheel."  Also, don't forget the #AppBiz of the week: Appalachian Voices...and shout outs to "New Roots Community Farm", "Kinship Goods" and the "Swamp Rabbit Cafe!"   Appalachian Voices: www.appvoices.org   Appalachian Solar Finance Fund: www.solarfinancefund.org  Appalachian Voices Front Porch Blog: www.appvoices.org/frontporchblog/  Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative (formerly Appalachian Teaching Project): www.arc.gov/acri/  Appalachian Voices Listening Sessions Article: www.appvoices.org/2022/12/02/va-task-force-listening-sessions/  Pepperoni Roll: www.pastemagazine.com/food/fast-food/history-pepperoni-roll-appalachia/  New Roots Community Farm: www.newrootscommunityfarm.com/  Kinship Goods: www.kinshipgoods.com  Swamp Rabbit Cafe: www.swamprabbitcafe.com   

Dialogue + Design Associates is the sister company to the Yes! We Rise Podcast. They provide facilitation, community engagement, and help everyday community members and leaders come together, envision their future, and find tools and resources to make that vision a reality.  In 2016, a few groups approached Dialogue + Design in the hopes of creating a community-based effort to grow the solar energy economy in Southwest Virginia. In today's episode, Christine shares the history behind this initial vision and the incredible progress that has been made. From a recording from a recent gathering and celebration of a new solar system at Wise Primary school, you will also hear from folks with a direct role in the growth and progress that has been made since the Solar Workgroup's inception in 2016.  Job opportunities have been created, resources and education are being provided, and policies in Southwest Virginia are changing. As coal dwindles as a resource and solar becomes a more prominent source of energy, Southwest Virginia continues to be an energy hub with prospects for a growing and thriving economic future. Welcome! LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED To find out more about the Solar Workgroup, you can check out their website and sign up for their newsletter. Learn more about the amazing partners that have made this group possible, including Appalachian Voices, UVA Wise, and People Incorporated. Find out more about the organizations that provided funding and support to the Solar Workgroup: Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, Appalachian Solar Finance Fund, and Secure Futures. The Yes! We Rise podcast is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats. Follow the We Rise podcast on Facebook and Instagram. Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening. The Yes! We Rise podcast features solutions-seekers, change-makers, and those creating a resilient future. We share stories and strategies to inspire action to build collective resilience and community transformation. To create change, people need to feel like they belong and that they are part of a growing movement. They need to know their voice matters and that they have the inspiration, agency and ability to transform their lives and their communities. They are the key to a resilient future.     From the Navajo Nation to the mountains of Appalachia, incredible work is being done by community members and leaders. Change is often sparked by inspiration: seeing what others have done, especially in similar situations and places. People see that when someone looks like them or lives in a place like theirs, and has created real, true and lasting change, change that will allow their granddaughters and grandsons to thrive — they begin to imagine what might be possible for them.  No longer waiting for someone else to come and save them, they realize they are the ones they have been waiting for.  But what creates that spark? What creates that inspiration?  Learning through stories and examples, feeling a sense of agency and belonging, and getting fired up to kick ass creates that spark.  We Rise helps community leaders and members learn to forge a new path toward creating resilience and true transformation. One person at a time, one community at a time, one region at a time, the quilt of transformation can grow piece by piece until resilience becomes the norm instead of the exception. Together, we rise.

The Black Lung Benefits Disability Trust Fund has lost $22,400,000 since the excise fee supporting the fund was slashed at the end of 2021. At a January 14 press conference, leaders from the National Black Lung Association, Appalachian Voices and the Appalachian Citizens Law Center call on Congress to take immediate action to restore the fee supporting  the Fund. The Fund provides benefits and life-prolonging health care coverage for miners disabled by this deadly disease. The excise fee supporting the Fund was cut by more than half when the Build Back Better bill failed to pass at the end of 2021. At the press conference regional representatives presented a letter signed by over 65 organizations calling on Congress to take action to restore the excise fee. On January 20th, Rep Bobby Scott (VA) and Rep. Alma Adams (NC) introduced the Black Lung Benefits Disability Trust Fund Solvency Act of 2022 to extend the Coal Excise Tax for 10 years. They were joined by original cosponsors Rep. John Yarmuth (KY) and Rep. Matt Cartwright (PA). However the bill has not moved in Congress and the Fund is quickly moving towards insolvency.

Ohio News Connection Efforts to rectify the lingering environmental legacy of coal mining in Ohio are getting a big financial boost. The new federal infrastructure law includes $11.3 billion to fund abandoned mine cleanup in 25 states. In Ohio, there are more than 3,400 abandoned mines, according to the Department of Natural Resources, posing health and safety risks to people and the environment. Marissa Lautzenheiser, director of northern programs for the group Rural Action, cited lists of potential projects where the estimated $550 million Ohio will receive would be well-spent. "This is a game changer," Lautzenheiser asserted. "The landscape of eastern Ohio is going to look a lot different in five years, let alone in ten years, than it would have without this investment." She pointed out the funding is especially important for Ohio communities hit hard by the coal industry decline, because it will create 730 jobs, nearly $2 billion in economic output and $660 million in labor income. Since the federal Abandoned Mine Lands Program was created in 1977, roughly 978,000 acres and $8 billion worth of damage has been cleaned up in the region. But it represents only about one-fourth of the total damage. Lautzenheiser noted the thousands of remaining unclaimed sites have continual issues. "If you build your home adjacent to or on an underground mine, you can find your basement floor collapsing into air shafts," Lautzenheiser outlined. "You can have acid mine drainage, where the water in the stream in your backyard is actually orange because of iron and other heavy metals." Dana Kuhnline, legislative coordinator for the group Appalachian Voices, said with a large influx of money, the goal is to address the environmental hazards. "State agencies and the local reclamation partners have all been pretty strapped," Kuhnline acknowledged. "They've been doing a lot of what I've heard described as 'chasing landslides.' So, they're only able to address the most severe or dangerous incidences of abandoned mine lands that are in communities." The full cost of reclaiming all remaining abandoned mine land nationwide is expected to exceed $20 billion, according to the Ohio Valley River Institute. --- Thanks for listening to the podcast. Help us out by sharing the episode, subscribing to the podcast, supporting our sponsors and joining our listener support program. You can also leave a voice mail for our show here. Check out previous shows and enter to win contests. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/chris-pugh6/message

In today's episode of the We Rise Podcast, learn about rising up and resilience in central Appalachia. Christine looks at some of the historic mining wars and the lasting impacts from the Battle of Blair Mountain in West Virginia, how the coal mining industry is shifting, and how communities are creating lasting change. Wrapping up the episode, hear about growing solar projects in Southwest Virginia, which are providing new avenues for local economic development and meaningful federal investment, through the Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia. May this episode inform, encourage, and inspire you! LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED Learn more about The United Mine Workers of America. Learn more about the National Association of Counties and their reports on interconnected systemic challenges facing coal communities. Read more about the Just transition Fund and the Political Economy Research Institute at UMass Amherst. Find out more about renewable energy at the US Energy Association. Discover more about the work of The Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia and its three co-converners: Appalachian Voices, University of Virginia College at Wise, and People Incorporated. Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats. Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram. Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

This week, we are bringing back one of our previous podcast that follows the theme of our season, Road to Renewables. We chatted with Brianna Kinsley who has a degree in sustainable development and works for Appalachian Voices assisting the people of East Tennessee to address the energy efficiency needs. This podcast looks further into how Appalachian Voices is assisting in energy democracy, the local people having control of how their electricity is produced and distributed to ensure everyone has access to affordable and clean power. With the help of solar, wind and hydro power, Appalachian Voices is helping citizens decrease their carbon footprint by allowing them to choose clean, renewable energy. Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoy the episode! Contact and connect with Briana: brianna@appvoices.org Appalachian Voices: https://appvoices.org/energydemocracy/tennessee/

In this episode of the We Rise Podcast, Christine is joined by Adam Wells, sharing the resilience of many Appalachian communities. Adam dives into the importance of reckoning with pain to create a new future and the importance of listening and sharing all voices and experiences when creating a new vision. Adam shares what it takes for a community to truly succeed. Adam is the Regional Director of Community and Economic Development for Appalachian Voices, and his career has included environmental justice, activism, new economy, and solutions-based work. He and his wife Emily live in Southwest Virginia, raising their two young children, Ruby and Sawyer. Links and Resources: Appalachian Voices Learn about the New Economy Program, Impacts of the Coal Industry, and Appalachian Voices commitment to Racial Justice and Equity. Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards Wise County, Virginia St. Paul, Virginia Norton, Virginia Dante, Virginia Community Association MountainRose Vineyard in Wise, Virginia Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats. Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram. Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

Brianna Knisley is TN Field Coordinator for the Energy Democracy Program at Appalachian Voices. Bri's passion for rural solutions was formed through her upbringing in a community struggling with economic, social and environmental issues faced by many rural places across the U.S. In the episode we talk about, “Energy Democracy” which is local people having control of how their electricity is produced and distributed to ensure everyone has access to affordable and clean power. Two decades into the 21st century, advances in solar panels, battery storage, modernized electric grids and other technologies are revolutionizing how our electricity can be produced and distributed. But large utility companies with monopoly control over the market are keeping us locked into using increasingly expensive polluting fuels like coal and fracked gas to generate our electricity. But a movement toward Energy Democracy is growing across Appalachia and throughout the country. Local individuals and groups are standing up to demand a seat at the table with decision makers to ensure we transition to a system that is affordable and fair, provides community wealth and jobs, and is built on clean, renewable energy. With Brianna we discuss what energy democracy is and its importance, what's going on with energy democracy in TN - specifically with Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), actions they do, suggestions to the Biden Administration's transition team, and how you can support their work. Appalachian Voices: https://appvoices.org/energydemocracy/tennessee/ Energy Democracy FB group: Bull Run Plant Closing and next steps: https://www.power-eng.com/coal/tva-offers-qa-on-issues-surrounding-coal-fired-bull-run-closure/#gref https://insideclimatenews.org/news/14022019/tva-coal-power-plants-shut-down-vote-trump-mcconnell-pressure-paradise-kentucky-bull-run-tennessee/ TVA Coal Ash: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/hundreds-workers-who-cleaned-countrys-worst-coal-ash-spill-are-now-sick-and-dying

Hosts Hale Masaki and Isabella Killius talk TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority), the largest energy provider in the country, and a government agency born out of the New Deal that was once an admirable public program, but is now tied too closely to corporate interests and has little input from the people it is supposed to serve. They are joined by two guests, both strong advocates for a more democratized and sustainable TVA: Bri Knisley, the campaign coordinator for Appalachian Voices and co-convener of the Tennessee Valley Energy Democracy Movement, and Jason Carney, owner of Energy Electives and President of the Tennessee Solar Energy Association. Get involved with Tennessee Energy Democracy Movement. Check out Jason Carney's Energy Electives. Find out what Native Land you are living on. Sunrise Tennessee Interest Form Follow Sunrise Tennessee on Twitter and Facebook. Rocky Top Sunrise is a proud member of The Tennessee Holler Podcast Network. Visit tnholler.com to keep up with The Tennessee Holler's relentless coverage that seeks to lift up progressive voices and shine a light on injustices throughout Tennessee.

What is ecotourism you might ask? noun tourism directed toward exotic, often threatened, natural environments, intended to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife. In this episode, we had the opportunity to speak with guest Austin Counts from Appalachian Voices. Appalachian Voices is an organization located in Southwest Virginia that aims to reclaim abandoned lands within the region. Their goal is to claim these lands which were once used for things such as mining and turn them into clean and natural habitats once again. They take the time to make these areas clean, safe, and presentable for locals and SWVA visitors alike. These areas once left abandoned and isolated became used for hiking and biking trails, fishing spots, and much more. It's a great thing that Austin and Appalachian Voices are doing. Aside from reclaiming and repurposing lands, the group also helps to educate others on how we might preserve our lands. Sticking to trails, keeping things neat and tidy, and not littering are just a few examples. If you would like to find out more about Appalachian Voices and the current projects they are working, please feel free to visit their website at: https://appvoices.org/ I would like to welcome everyone to Season two of the Stories from Southwest Virginia podcast. I really enjoyed everyone I got to meet and speak within season one. During season one we focused on the arts and music of the SWVA region, while here in season two we are going to be looking at the outdoor beauty and recreation of the region. If you would like to be on an episode of the podcast, please feel free to reach out and email me at: cthompson@myswva.org To find out more about the Stories from Southwest Virginia podcast, please visit our website at: https://visitswva.org/stories-from-southwest-virginia/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/storiesfromswva/message

Erin Savage is Central Appalachian Senior Program Manager for Appalachian Voices. In this episode Erin explains the practice of mountaintop removal for coal mining, which has destroyed more than 500 mountaintops, 1.2 million acres of forest, and 2,000 miles of streams in the Appalachians. She discusses the harmful impacts to communities including contaminated drinking water, increased flooding, and higher rates of cancer and other health issues. Erin says the coal industry isn't meeting its responsibility to restore these mountaintops and that local economies need to be restructured to give people alternatives to working in mining. The waterloop podcast is brought to you by High Sierra Showerheads, the smart and stylish way to save water, energy, and money while enjoying a powerful shower. Use promo code waterloop for 20 percent off at www.highsierrashowerheads.com

Adam Wells, Regional Director of Community & Economic Development for Appalachian Voices, is working to bring new energy to the local economies of Southwest Virginia, a region once sustained by the coal industry. There are now promising opportunities for solar power to be a catalyst for growth, attracting 21st Century business looking for low-cost, locally-generated … Continue reading Old Mountains, New Economies – Adam Wells of Appalachian Voices →

Adam Wells, Regional Director of Community & Economic Development for Appalachian Voices, is working to bring new energy to the local economies of Southwest Virginia, a region once sustained by the coal industry. There are now promising opportunities for solar power to be a catalyst for growth, attracting 21st Century business looking for low-cost, locally-generated … Continue reading Old Mountains, New Economies – Adam Wells of Appalachian Voices →

Tom discusses the Virginia Energy Reform Coalition, and why people from across the ideological spectrum support the effort to replace the old utility monopoly system with an energy market. Competition and consumer choice encourage efficiencies on the production side that translate into substantial economic and environmental benefits for the whole community. Later in the show, … Continue reading Vox Populi – Tom Cormons of Appalachian Voices →

Tom discusses the Virginia Energy Reform Coalition, and why people from across the ideological spectrum support the effort to replace the old utility monopoly system with an energy market. Competition and consumer choice encourage efficiencies on the production side that translate into substantial economic and environmental benefits for the whole community. Later in the show, … Continue reading Vox Populi – Tom Cormons of Appalachian Voices →

What connects global poverty, human trafficking in Thailand, natural disasters in Mozambique, and economic opportunity in rural appalachia? We hear from Lucy McCray from The Freedom Story in Thailand, Abdul Ada, an ocean conservationist from Mozambique, and Chelsea Barnes from Appalachian Voices to find out how environmental degradation is the root of so many global challenges. Welcome to the Grassroots Podcast, a Plant With Purpose production. This show features global conversations about the environmental challenges we’re facing, what ordinary people are doing in response, and how this connects to our Christian faith. We’re going beyond doom-and-gloom. We’re looking at root causes, talking to people on the frontlines, and asking ourselves what we can do. There are reasons to be concerned, but there is also a case for hope. Find out more at Plant With Purpose.

Episode 16 is live. Special thanks to Erin Savage from Appalachian Voices for coming on this week. Subscribe on iTunes here:...

Episode 16 is live. Special thanks to Erin Savage from Appalachian Voices for coming on this week. Subscribe on iTunes here:...

Being a region in transition, it is inevitable that we will not always agree on what is the best way to move forward. At times, we have seen that we aren’t at odds with outsiders, elusive government officials, or big corporations, but we are at odds with ourselves. As residents invested in the future of the region, we each have a right to have our voice heard and our opinions considered when addressing the future economy and current need to make ends meet. How much is too much? How far is too far? When do we end up shooting ourselves in the foot? For the first story in this exploration, WMMT’s Benny Becker interviews the key players in the recent addition of the Russell Fork River to the American Rivers 10 Most Endangered listing by the group Appalachian Voices. It seems some citizens in Elkorn City, a town we recently featured on Mountain News & World Report, believe that the move could be detrimental to their efforts to maintain the current tourism boom they are seeing around the river and their hopes to increase it. When both partners at the table have a similar goal, but a different idea on how to get there, who is right? Does it matter? Recently, Kentucky state politicians put forth two bills in the legislature that received support from the governor and the Kentucky Coal Association, that would have rolled back some of the safety regulations that had been put into place to protect miners after years of public push for such measures. In our second segment, Kelli Haywood seeks to find out if such cut backs will actually be of any benefit the jobs miners, the financial integrity of struggling coal companies, and the state budget, or will it put miners’ lives at undue risk. And finally, from Appalshop Archive and the late Buck Maggard, we present an interview with “The Grandfather of Bluegrass” – Wade Mainer, who would have celebrated his 109th birthday on April 21st. From Buncombe County, North Carolina, Mainer’s innovative 2-finger banjo picking style is considered the precursor to the 3-finger playing style used in today’s bluegrass music. Mainer plays a few tunes with his wife Julia, discusses his favorite song, and his take on environmental stewardship.

This edition of Mountain News & World Report brings us the complicated legacy that coal is leaving in the mountains of southeastern, Kentucky. While on one hand we are proud to be miners and the children of miners, and we are grateful for the good paying jobs the industry has brought to the region, on the other hand, we are left wondering what now. In this time when the coal industry is in decline, we are reminded that the changes brought about by over a century mining coal aren’t easily adjusted. The first segment of this episode shares the story of Phillip Johnson and his family whose land has been strip-mined without their consent in recent years not unlike what was seen in the days of the Broadform Deed. While use of the broadform deed ended in 1988 through popular vote, the Johnsons found that there continues to be means by which a company can mine for minerals underneath the ground of a landowner who has not agreed to mining. Not only can they, but they can do so perfectly legally in Kentucky. WMMT contributor, Parker Hobson, brings us the story in collaboration with Tarence Ray of Appalachian Voices who has provided the photo of the Johnson property for this post. You can read Ray’s article and see more photographs at this link. Then, we revisit coverage from WMMT’s Rich Kirby in 2010 of the dedication of a permanent marker in remembrance of the Scotia Mine Disaster. March 9, 2016 marked the 40th anniversary of two mine explosions in Letcher Co., Kentucky. Dr. Greg Wagner gave an informative and thought-provoking commemorative speech revealing the complexities and sorrows these tragedies leave behind. And, finally, we have the story of Jeremy Brock of Evarts, Kentucky in our ongoing feature with Humans of Central Appalachia. Brock is an underground miner, father, and competition barbecuer. Like all of us, he’s wondering what happens when the mining jobs are all gone. Will his passion for barbecue be enough to carry him and his family through?

JEAN RITCHIE is the songwriter many refer to as "The Mother of Folk" and the Princess of Appalachia. She was born in Viper, Kentucky, the youngest of 14 children. Ritchie grew up immersed in the traditional songs of the region and moved to New York in the 1940s where, as a social worker, she taught music to children. �She launched the folk movement of the 1960's along with Pete Seeger, Oscar Brand, Woody Guthrie and Alan Lomax.� Ritchie's songs have been recorded by a variety of artists including Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash and Judy Collins. Over the course of her career, her song collecting and song writing has helped to preserve the musical legacy of her Kentucky home, as well as expand awareness of its challenges through her continued support of the grassroots environmental organization Appalachian Voices and politically pointed songs such as "The L & N" and "Black Waters". Our friends at Compass Records have released a new multi-artist CD in honor of Jean, who now lives in Berea. 'Dear Jean: Artists Celebrates Jean Ritchie' is a double album featuring performances from an impressive array of Ritchie's fans and admirers. Many of these artists will be performing on this Special Event Broadcast of WoodSongs incluinge: Jon Pickow (traditional folk musicians and Jean's son), Dan Schatz (producer and folksinger), Elizabeth LaPrelle (mastery of the ancient and deep-art of Appalachian unaccompanied singing), Al, Alice and Ruth (from the McLain Family Band) and other surprise guests. It will be an evening of stories, art and music ... and surprises ...� to honor the living legacy of this Kentucky-born singer/songwriter and folk icon.

In September of 2007 the International Forum on Globalization held a Teach in Washington DC on climate change, peak oil and global resource depletion & extinction. Several Panel meetings addressed the many false solutions to the climate crisis that may be accelerating the danger rather than alleviating it. Coal for example is now promoted as a substitute for oil and promises for the capture of the carbon are made that are not yet possible with current technologies and may never be available on a large scale. Dr. Hermann Ott is head of the Berlin office of the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy. He is the co-author of the book: The Kyoto Protocol International Climate Policy for the 21st Century. From the Appalachian mountains came Mary Anne Hitt. She lives and works at the center of one of the large unreported ecological tragedies of out time. In surface mines, some the size of New York’s Manhattan, whole mountain ranges are blown off to strip mine the coal. Mary Anne Hitt is Executive Director of Appalachian Voices. Go to their web site at and to a sister web site . There you can see aerial photos of the Appalachian mines and photos of the forests, streams and mountains before they were demolished. Mary Anne Hitt and Dr. Hermann Ott were recorded at the Confronting the Global Triple Crisis teach in, organized by the International Forum on Globalization, in Washington DC in September 15, 2007. The teach in was recorded by Conference Recording Services in Berkeley, California.

An introduction to the horrific practice of Mountaintop Removal Mining that is destroying our beautiful Appalachian Mountains - what it is, the damage it is doing, and how you can help stop it before it's too late. Barbara Strangfeld is volunteer for I Love Mountains and Appalachian Voices. She is first to say that her position is only that of a concerned citizen. Listen to her introduction to Mountaintop Removal Mining. She would like to fully credit the I Love Mountains and Appalachian Voices organizations for the material she uses in her presentation.

The eighth annual Students United for a Responsible Global Environment (SURGE) Conference was held at Duke University on March 30 - April 1, 2007. The conference focused on a variety of environmental, social justice and economic justice issues. The Friday evening kickoff featured the Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University, Dr. William Schlesinger introducing keynote speaker Mary Anne Hitt of Appalachian Voices at the Love Auditorium.

The eighth annual Students United for a Responsible Global Environment (SURGE) Conference was held at Duke University on March 30 - April 1, 2007. The conference focused on a variety of environmental, social justice and economic justice issues. The Friday evening kickoff featured the Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University, Dr. William Schlesinger introducing keynote speaker Mary Anne Hitt of Appalachian Voices at the Love Auditorium.

The eighth annual Students United for a Responsible Global Environment (SURGE) Conference was held at Duke University on March 30 - April 1, 2007. The conference focused on a variety of environmental, social justice and economic justice issues. The Friday evening kickoff featured the Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University, Dr. William Schlesinger introducing keynote speaker Mary Anne Hitt of Appalachian Voices at the Love Auditorium.