Donna Weems September 14, 2016 The dry spell has lingered Moisture from the soil is gone The goldenrod wilts, yellow flowers still brilliant on their drooping stalks The odd torrent [...]
Synopsis of DEIS Process and Highlights Now Available
In preparation of its evaluation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has preparead a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. This [...]
By John McFerrin Congress is considering and, Congress being Congress these days, probably will take an action that will be a step back in both efforts to curb greenhouse gases [...]
Trail Truthing, Part 2: Another Surprise
By Hugh Rogers Winter is shrinking. On President’s Day, the snowdrops popped up, looked around, saw no snow, not even remnants. We’ve used a few of these warm days to [...]
An Old, Timely Word from Julian
The coal interests take our coal almost free of taxes. They pollute our air and streams and seduce our politicians. Coal barons don’t build anything more lasting and beautiful than [...]
DEP Eliminates Protections for Noise, Light from Natural Gas Facilities
Ken Ward Jr. Less than two weeks after taking office, Gov. Jim Justice’s administration quietly deleted permit language intended to protect residents in West Virginia’s natural gas regions from excessive noise and [...]
In Marble Halls: Our History with E-Council
By Cynthia D. Ellis One poem. Thanks to an interest in one poem, I stumbled upon Tennessee State University’s “Now & Then; The Appalachian Magazine” ---a publication of that school’s [...]
Contrary to what many believe, Mountaintop Removal and other large scale mining has not disappeared from southern West Virginia. Ask the brave folks at Coal River Mountain Watch (CRMW) [...]
“Persistent Failures” Says Office of Surface Mining
By Cindy Rank In June 2013 eighteen state and national public interest groups including, the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, filed a petition with the federal Office of Surface Mining (OSMRE) [...]
HIGH-RISK DRILLING THROUGH THE BLUE RIDGE
By Rick Webb The Dominion Pipeline Monitoring Coalition has submitted a report to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Atllantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) and [...]
After fifteen years in the making, the “stream protection rule” lasted about a month in effect. According to the official press release, the new rule “updates 33-year old regulations and [...]
Insider View of West Virginia Highlands Conservancy Marketing Machine
Each month in The Highlands Voice, and on our website, we offer for sale a variety of t-shirts, hats, etc. For the offerings in the Voice, we are fortunate to [...]
West Virginia Lax in Stream Cleanup
By John McFerrin The United States District Court has ruled that West Virginia was lax in its duty to beginning cleaning up impaired streams and that the United States Environmental [...]
Move Afoot to Weaken Water Quality Protections
The West Virginia Legislature is actively considering a bill (HB 2506) that would weaken West Virginia’s water quality protections. It would do two things. First, it would change how compliance [...]
What is The Cost of Subsidies?
By Larry V. Thomas Senate Bill 16 (SB16), proposing to repeal West Virginia Code Section §11-6A-5a has been introduced in the legislature and is making its way through the House, [...]
Wednesday, March 1: Public Comment Session for ACP pipeline draft EIS in Elkins, WV 5:00 – 9:00 pm, Gandy Dancer Theater, 359 Beverly Pike, Elkins, WV 26241. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/21393847/DEIS%20Notice%20of%20Availability%2020161230-3005%2831865337%29.pdf Thursday, [...]
