West Virginia

ENN

What’s next for coal country?

Coal communities in Appalachia and Wyoming are vital revenue engines for huge portions of the rural U.S., and they face devastation with little time to adjust to new realities.

By Mason Adams . 23 June 2020
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Coal’s collapse under COVID-19 adds urgency to just transition movement

Groups working to support out-of-work coal miners and their communities are trying to accelerate their strategies.

By Elizabeth McGowan . 8 June 2020
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Deep in coal country, Solar Holler harnesses the sun

A small company is bringing solar to coal country, allowing West Virginians to keep the energy they produce after generations of exporting power.

By Greenwire . 10 July 2019
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Appalachian gas storage hub seeks federal clean energy loan guarantee

Several environmental groups are considering legal options if the Trump administration approves $1.9 billion in taxpayer-backed guarantee.

By Kathiann M. Kowalski . 31 May 2019
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A sunnier view for Atlantic Coast Pipeline opponents — but will it last?

Property owners in the pipeline’s path are relieved by recent delays that offer hope they might stop the project.

By Elizabeth McGowan . 15 March 2019
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Shale gas boom slows progress on renewables in PJM grid territory

Wind and solar generation on the nation’s largest regional electric grid lags other parts of the country.

By Keith Schneider . 5 March 2019
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Q&A: What's next for MacArthur ‘genius grant’ winner Ken Ward Jr.?

Ken Ward Jr. has covered West Virginia’s coal, chemical and natural gas industries since 1989. His groundbreaking work was recognized Thursday, when he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

By Mason Adams . 5 October 2018
ENN

Coal closings may undermine FirstEnergy’s attempt to shift plant to bankrupt subsidiary

FirstEnergy wants to transfer a West Virginia coal plant into its bankrupt subsidiary’s portfolio, but the justification for the move is in doubt as the company seeks other coal plant closures.

By Kathiann M. Kowalski . 7 September 2018
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Citizen group provides extra eyes on the ground for pipeline regulators

On the frontline of the fight to protect water and forests against pipeline construction risks, citizen scientists document potential environmental violations.

By Mason Adams . 25 July 2018
ENN

Appalachian coal mine waste could provide key ingredients for clean energy

Researchers at state universities in the Southeast are closing in on whether one of the region’s biggest liabilities – coal mine waste – might become a valuable asset by supplying rare earth elements needed for clean energy and other applications.

By Jim Pierobon . 29 March 2017