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FREE AppalachianThe Dec. 2017 / Jan. 2018 VOICE Current Choices A continued look at the promises and perils of today’s energy options — Pumped storage | Wind — Gasification | Coal The Call of the Red Crossbill ALSO INSIDE: Section Hiking the Art Loeb Trail Southern Appalachian Mtn Stewards FINALEXPORTPROOF EDITED FINAL PROOF EDITED The AppalachianVOICE A note from our team A note from our executive director ross Appa ia Appalachia is large and diverse, tied together by beautiful c lach A publication of Since our last issue, I have found myself reflecting A Environmental News From Around the Region mountains, fresh waterways and strong cultures. But outside in- AppalachianVoices on multiple acts of senseless violence here and abroad dustries have historically exploited the region’s rich resources and that have lead to massive casualties of innocent people hard-working residents, leaving local communities to shoulder the Three New Preserves Established on Three Struggling Coal Towns Conduct Merger Study NC: 589 W. King St., Boone, NC 28607 • 828-262-1500 simply leading their everyday lives. VA: 812 E. High St., Charlottesville, VA 22902 • 434-293-6373 burdens of pollution and boom-and-bust economics. By Otto Solberg for manufacturing. In 1917, U.S. Steel Other Regional Offices: Knoxville, TN • Norton, VA These random acts of violence are appalling, In North Carolina, residents are forced to contend with the Pine Mountain in Eastern Kentucky needed coal for World War I and built and when it happens we are appropriately shocked toxic wastes from coal-fired power plants and the threats from In the coal-bearing region of East- AppalachianVoices.org | [email protected] By Rachel Pressley Lynch, the biggest company-owned coal and outraged. But there is another type of violence the potential expansion of fracked-gas infrastructure. Here, our ern Kentucky, the town governments town in the world at the time, a couple EDITOR.................................................. MOLLY MOORE being committed against innocent people who are N.C. Program Manager Amy Adams reflects on the human costs In October, the Kentucky of Benham, Cumberland and Lynch ASSOCIATE EDITOR................................... KEVIN RIDDER of these energy choices. Natural Lands Trust estab- miles to the east. To the west of Benham, CONSULTING EDITOR............................. JAMIE GOODMAN slowly murdered through the calculated decisions are conducting a merger study for their Cumberland grew as the retail center for CONTRIBUTING EDITOR..................... ELIZABETH E. PAYNE of corporate polluters who are paid handsomely for For the future, lished three new preserves three communities. CONTRIBUTING EDITOR.............................. BRIAN SEWELL the two towns. Tom Cormons by purchasing nearly 2,000 The neighboring towns each share DISTRIBUTION MANAGER.................... MEREDITH SHELTON their actions — and we, the general public, are largely Executive Director As coal production has dropped, FALL EDITORIAL ASSISTANT...................... OTTO SOLBERG unaware or complacent. acres on the north face of Highway 160 as their main street and GRAPHIC DESIGNER................................. CARRIE HAYES local governments have lost money The fossil fuel industry is a giant, a heartless gi- Pine Mountain near Cum- are all situated along a seven-mile sec- GRAPHIC DESIGNER................................... CARA ADEIMY from a state tax on coal mining. The GRAPHIC DESIGNER............................... JIMMY DAVIDSON ant, that is fed by greed. This giant will only be held berland, Ky. tion of the road. The study is investigat- MARKETING ASSISTANT............................. JACK POWNALL calculated acts of corporate violence. towns’ tax bases are cut more and more responsible for its actions if citizens demand it — cur- In addition to the Nar- Photo courtesy of Kentucky Natural Lands Trust ing whether the governments could By demanding a shift to cleaner fuel sources such as many residents leave in search of DISTRIBUTION VOLUNTEERS: Courtney Alley, Alison rently, government agencies seem more willing to prop rows Preserve established collectively save money by combining as wind and solar and increasing the energy efficiency The new preserves connect other work. According to the U.S. Census, a Auciello, Karen Austin-Clayton, Debbie Bahr, Another Season up the fossil fuel sector than hold it accountable. in March, the areas recently protected their administrations and sharing Honey Farm, Becky Barlow, Shawn Becker, Bob Belton, Roberta of our homes and businesses, we can protect thousands protected lands, joining Kingdom third of the houses in Lynch sit vacant, Last year, Duke Energy and Dominion Energy each are known as the Line Fork Preserve, services and equipment. Each town is Bondurant, Charlie Bowles, Bethann Bowman, Lynn Brammer, of innocent lives. Come State Park and the Hensley Pine and the town’s population has dropped made around $2.1 billion; Duke’s CEO brought home the Hurricane Gap Preserve and the struggling with aging infrastructure, Ben Bristoll, Steve Brooks, Paul Corbit Brown, Teri Brown, I invite you to stand with me, and together we can Mountain Wildlife Management Area below 700 despite housing over 10,000 Christa Brusen, Bill Bunch, Sarah Caskey, Charlie Chakales, close to $10.8 million, while Dominion’s CEO claimed Kingdom Come Preserve. These tracts meager tax bases and the downturn of take down the giants. and connecting the E. Lucy Braun State in its prime. Shay Clanton, Megan Ong, Ridge Cook, Dave Cooper, George over $20 million. In contrast, entire communities are of land will also contribute to the Great the coal industry. Cortesi, Darlene Cunningham, Nancy Dagley, John David, Sister Park Nature Preserve to Kentenia State The merger study will be com- living in these utility giants’ “sacrifice zones” and are Eastern Trail, a recreational hiking trail Benham was built in 1909 by In- Beth Davies, Deborah Deatherage, Clint Dye, Bill Elliott, Mike For our communities, Forest. Part of the Great Eastern Trail pleted in 2018, and any merger proposal exposed daily to a cocktail of toxins in the air they being built from New York to Alabama. ternational Harvester to mine coal Freely, Frank Frey, HA Gallucio, Dave Gilliam, Scott Goebel, Bruce Amy Adams will also join Breaks Interstate Park with would require a vote from residents. and Kate Gould McClory, Gary Greer, Tauna Gulley, Janet Hagy, breathe and water they drink that makes them sick. The 125-mile long ridge known as North Carolina Program Manager Cumberland Gap National Historical Bill Harris, Christine Harris, Susan Hazlewood, Sharon Helt, Dr. That’s why groups like Appalachian Voices stand Pine Mountain “is one of the largest Laura Henry-Stone, Tim Huntley, Nicholas Johnson, Mary K., Park in Kentucky. with these frontline communities against the often- tracts of intact contiguous forest re- Allison Keith, Denny Keeney, Donita Kennedy, Katie Kienbaum, This will connect thousands of acres POWER Initiative Awards Seventh Round of Grants maining in Kentucky,” according to the Frances Lamberts, Carissa Lenfert, Susan Lewis, Loy Lilley, deadly impacts of the fossil fuel industry and these in the region, conserving habitats for land trust. Project planners are working The federal Appalachian Regional which is studying the feasibility of a project Diane Lucas, Lara Mack, Gail Marney, Brian McAllister, Kim plant and animal species such as the Commission announced its latest round of that would “train and employ individuals McClure, Rich McDonough, Mike McKinney, Sherri McMurray, to conserve and protect the land that POWER grants in September. The Partner- to deconstruct old coal camp houses and Tim Milling, Joy Miracle, Steve Moeller, Nick Mullins, Don Odell, green salamander, migratory warbler, reaches from Jellico, Tenn., to Elkhorn ships for Opportunity and Workforce and replace them with modular units” with the Rob Osborne, Lee Payne, Adam Pendlebury, Tessa Perkins, Rick yellow-fringed orchid, black bear and City, Ky. It will eventually be open to the Economic Revitalization Initiative provides goal of launching a business that provides Phelps, Cleve Phillips, Stephanie Pistello, Chase Pugh, Sister GET INVOLVED environmental & cultural events Indiana and northern long-eared bats. Ann Marie Quinn, Bronwyn Reece, Carol Rollman, Kristin Rouse, public to access the Great Eastern Trail. grants to community projects that aim to workforce training while improving local See more at appvoices.org/calendar prepare workers for new industries and cre- housing options. Jenny Rytel, Debbie Samuels, Mar Sartari, Steve Scarborough, Energy Efficiency Task Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines. ate jobs in areas affected by the downturn Since October 2015, the POWER grant Gerry Scardo, Frank Schaller, Elvira Schrader, Susanne Seiler, Force Volunteer Nights Even if you do not speak, show your solidarity naturalist Paulita Cousin for a three-mile loop Virginia Announces New River Gorge Bridge of the coal industry. program has awarded $94 million to proj- Kathy Selvage, Meredith Shelton, Brenda Sigmon, Janeen Dec. 6, Jan. 24, and Feb. 7, 6-8 p.m. Help the by attending. Richmond, Va. Call (804) 698- at the spectacular Blackwater Falls State Park. The largest grant awarded in Sep- ects in coal-impacted Appalachian counties. Solberg, Lucy Spencer, Jennifer Stertzer, Jim Stockwell, Bill Appalachian Voices Energy Savings Team 4000 or visit appvoices.org/fracking/actions Cleanest Air in 20 Years Celebrates