The FREE April / MayAppalachian 2013 VOICE POWERING WITH CHANGE The Dollars and Sense of How to win with on-bill financing CHATTanooga’S VISION A city that leads by example THE SMART GRID Energy Savings The future is happening now Protecting the planet has never been better for our bottom line The AppalachianVOICE cross Appalachia A publication of A Environmental News From Around the Region AppalachianVoices A Note from our Executive Director 171 Grand Blvd • Boone, NC 28607 Dear Readers, 828-262-1500 Build-It-Up! Prepares Young Leaders www.AppalachianVoices.org I am honored to be writing you for the first time as executive director [email protected] of Appalachian Voices. By Kate Cahow College in Columbia, Ky. “That’s when I became an environmental activist. Build- I still remember my excitement when I first learned about Appalachian Tessa Gore’s passion for creating Editor........................................................................ JamiE.Goodman It-Up opened my eyes to grassroots orga- Voices 12 years ago after a day of climbing at West Virginia’s Seneca Rocks. positive change in the Appalachian re- manaGinG.Editor.......................................................molly.moorE Relaxing in town after descending from the knife-edge summit, I was elated nization and mobilization, and showed gion was sparked during her time with associatE.Editor.........................................................matt.GrimlEy from the climb and the beautiful view from the top: a bucolic patchwork me one person can definitely make a contributinG.Editor....................................................brian.sEwEll Build-It-Up West Virginia. of fields and woodlots in the river valley surrounded by lushly forested difference.” The Ohio native is using her distribution.manaGEr..............................................maEvE.Gould. “My first summer, we traveled to mountains stretching as far as the eye could see. It was in this state of mind experiences to establish a Build-It-Up Editorial.communciations.assistant.........................davis.wax that I picked up my first copy of The Appalachian Voice newspaper. several mountaintop removal sites, and program in southeast Ohio. onlinE.communications.assistant.......................................Jil.lEE I witnessed the impact on the environ- Here was a celebration of the Appalachian Mountains and our connection to them – from fishing to Build-It-Up West Virginia and sister ment and surrounding communities,” kayaking, homesteading to hunting – that resonated deeply with my experience. But it was something chapters in Tennessee and Virginia engage DISTRIBUTION VOLUNTEERS: Alison Auciello, Karen Austin, Debbie more that really drew me in. says Gore, a student at Lindsey Wilson participants in service-learning projects Bahr, Heather Baker, Bob Belton, Jere Bidwell, Blue Smoke Coffee, Charlie Appalachian Voices was about our shared responsibility for this natural heritage: bringing people focused on healthy, sustainable and Bowles, Cindy Bowles, Lynn Brammer, Jane Branham, Steve Brooks, Carmen Build-It-Up! in Appalachia reid, co-coordinator with Build-It-Up deeper understanding of what’s at risk together to address the monumental environmental threats to the region, from mountaintop removal locally-based economies. Through Cantrell, Sarah Smith Caskey, Charlie Chakales, Kim and Shay Clanton, Chris East Tennessee: zval33.wix.com/builditupetn West Virginia. “They’ve experienced the in their communities, and then work to coal mining to water and air pollution. I soon became a member, and even while I was away at UCLA community partnerships, they have Clark, Patty Clemens, Sister Beth Davies, Detta Davis, Deborah Deatherage, law school, I closely tracked Appalachian Voices’ work. When I returned, I was proud to join the team Virginia: grandaspirations.org/sw-va-201/ impacts of the coal mono-economy, and change it,” he says. planted gardens in lower-income Lowell Dodge, Finley Dula, Nels Erickson, Lauren Essick, Emma Ford, and open our Virginia office. West Virginia: facebook.com/builditup.wv through Build-It-Up they’re learning to Build-It-Up is part of a national net- Rick Foster, Charles Garratt, Dave Gilliam, Scott Goebel, Lisa Goodpaster, Age: 13-18 (high school and college undergraduates) neighborhoods, hosted workshops on build solutions.” work of grassroots youth organizations I am still inspired every day by that shared connection and commitment. My wife, Heather — who Dates: June to August – specific dates TBA Bruce Gould, Michael Grantz, Gary Greer, Kelly Griffin, Tim Guilfoile, Susan sustainable food production and pres- For Joe Gorman, program coordina- called Grand Aspirations. The Virginia and was my climbing partner that day at Seneca Rocks — and I now have three young children, and my Cost: Free Hazlewood, Sandy Heim, Cary and Karen Huffman, Tim Huntley, Pamela ervation, and shadowed local leaders to tor with Build-It-Up West Virginia, the Tennessee chapters are starting this sum- view naturally reaches farther than before. I’m devoted to a future when kids throughout Appalachia Contact: Joe Gorman, program coordinator, Build-It-Up Johnston, Mary K., Amelia Kirby, Rose Koontz, Frances Lamberts, Justin learn about water-testing standards and can swim in clean creeks, drink pure water, breathe healthy air, and still have mountain peaks to climb. West Virginia (for all three programs) most gratifying part of his work is wit- mer, and this fall the West Virginia chapter Laughlin, Carissa Lenfert, Susan Lewis, Loy Lilley, Debra Locher, Joy Lourie, local mine safety rules and legislation. Phone number: (703) 307-4011 or (304) 518-0248 nessing the personal growth of alumni. is transitioning to a year-round program We’ve made tremendous progress, but important work lies ahead. - Gail Marney, Mast General Store, Kathy McClory, Kim Greene McClure, Jay Registration form: bit.ly/12f6BJE “Appalachian youth are strong “It’s exciting when participants grasp a with West Virginia State University. McCoy, Rich McDonough, Mike McKinney, Steve Moeller, Dave and Donna We must continue fighting the companies that are pushing the true costs of coal onto our communi leaders,” says Johanna de Graffen- Muhly, Dennis Murphy, Catherine Murray, Don O’Dell, Dave Patrick, Bronwyn ties, while we also secure real solutions to help our region prosper with sustainable energy sources and Reece, Martin Richards, Carol Rollman, Kristin Rouse, Debbie Samuels, Steve jobs that respect our natural heritage. We are engaged in nothing short of a fundamental shift that starts Scarborough, Gerry and Joe Scardo, Craig Schenker, Kathy Selvage, Brenda with a positive vision and a sense of shared responsibility for stewardship of this region we all love. EPA Finds Impaired Streams Across Nation, Cites West Virginia Landing Opportunity Sigmon, Jennifer Stertzer, Mike Wade, Nora Walbourn, Bill Wasserman, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear signed a For the mountains, According to a recent report by the The EPA also found more impaired DEP to abandon its existing methods of Jim Webb, Dean Whitworth, Amy Wickham, Graham Williams, Barbara bill into law last month that allows quali- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, waterways in West Virginia than the measuring stream health, and to instead Williamson, Diana Withen, Johnny Yousef, Gabrielle Zeiger, Ray Zimmerman fying land trusts to apply for conservation more than 55 percent of the country’s West Virginia Department of Envi- come up with new methods to define Printed on 100% recycled newsprint, cover 40% recycled paper, all soy-based inks funding through the Kentucky heritage Executive Director rivers and streams are in poor biological ronmental Protection had reported. In biologically impaired streams. As a con- Land Conservation Fund. Under the law, health, unable to support healthy popu- March, the EPA gave the DEP a list that sequence of the law, when the DEP sub- land trusts are required to provide a one- lations of aquatic insects and other crea- included 1,176 waterways previously mitted their most recent list of impaired to-one cash match for any funding given. tures. The most widespread problem is designated as impaired by the state, and waters to the EPA, the state agency did INSIDE THIS ISSUE The Nature Conservancy of Kentucky excessive levels of nutrient pollution; an additional 255 waterways identified not include the 255 new waterways that lauded the move, saying that the next step Regulars high levels of phosphorus, found in de- by the EPA. The DEP left many streams would have been considered impaired for the state would be to implement a state Across Appalachia ......... 3-4 tergents and fertilizers, were found in 40 off their impaired list as a result of a under the old system. tax credit for land donation. Hiking the Highlands .........6-7 percent of the nation’s rivers and streams. law passed in 2012 that ordered the This Green House ........... 18 Using electricity wisely is ❑ Yes, I would like to receive The Appalachian Voice in my mailbox (min. $25 donation) Political Landscape. .22-23 vital for Appalachia, ❑ Maximize my donation -- do not send The Voice, I prefer to read it online! Coal Report ............... 24 a region that has Spring into Action Name of Member ________________________________________________________________ Opinion ................... 25 borne the burdens Address _______________________________________________________________________ Inside AV .............. 26-27 of our national appetite for City ______________________________________