How it feels doing this Certified Floodplain Manager training
Emma Kelly
@evkelly.bsky.social
New Economy Program Manager for Appalachian Voices, anthropologist, union girlie. At home in the mountains with a good book or game. She/her
#Congress may advance a bill that lets projects sidestep pollution protections by labeling them as “national defense” or part of the so-called "energy emergency.” Read why the Defense Production Act is dangerous in Chelsea Barnes’ blog post: https://loom.ly/2jsgkhA
The grave new threat facing communities
The Trump-Vance administration has used the Defense Production Act to prop up fossil fuel industries, including issuing hundreds of millions of dollars in DPA grants to keep aging coal plants operating and fund new coal-fired power plants.
appvoices.org
ICYMI: "...the county passed a resolution stating that 'the Board of Supervisors hereby oppose the Boost Project from being located in the Elliston Community.'" #NoMVPBoost Organizing did that. roanoke.com/news/local/b...
County contradiction halts Mountain Valley Pipeline compressor station permit
A contradiction between Montgomery County actions has halted permitting for Mountain Valley Pipeline’s proposed Swann Compressor Station, leaving the project without an active air permit application.
roanoke.com
Mobile billboards are rolling around VA's state capitol this week with a simple message for legislators: Make #DataCenters use clean energy & stop polluting local communities. Tell your legislators to put communities before data centers: https://appvoices.org/actions/no-dirty-energy-va-data-centers/
Don't let the coal industry roll over the Monongahela National Forest! Sign here: actionnetwork.org/petitions/do...
Don't let the coal industry roll over the Monongahela National Forest!
The Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia is a national treasure. “The Mon” boasts some of the continent’s southernmost cranberry bogs and red spruce forests, as well as numerous rare species a...
actionnetwork.org
hmmmm "due to “current economic conditions.”" Healing Appalachia announces cancellation of 2026 music festival
Healing Appalachia announces cancellation of 2026 music festival – The Real WV
By RealWV Staff, Tyler Childers performs in Kentucky as part of Healing Appalachia 2025. Photo by Healing Appalachia. ASHLAND, KY -- In an announcement
therealwv.com
So excited to see a nature school come to the coalfields! thecarecollectiveofswva.org/wee-ones-for...
Wee ones forest school
The Care Collective is a proud sponsor of the Wee Ones Forest School, beginning programming Summer 2026. From June 9th to July 7th 2026, Wee Ones will meet on Tuesdays in Legion Park from 10:30am-1…
thecarecollectiveofswva.org
Forget shark week -- It's climate solutions week y'all This year the theme is LOCAL solutions - ways that cities and states and neighborhoods are stepping up when the federal government backtracks on climate action. I'll thread the stories here as the week goes on... Here's our intro ⬇️📻🎧
As the federal government rolls back climate action, U.S. cities and states step up
NPR's Julia Simon kicks off Climate Solutions Week with a look at how cities and states are working to reduce emissions.
npr.org
A fantastic week at the National Adaptation Forum in Pittsburgh hearing from folks all over the adaptation and resilience world
On May Day, the Trump admin fired a mine safety commissioner & closed the Pittsburgh office of the agency that handles mine safety disputes. @kimkelly.bsky.social reports on what that could mean for coal miners already facing black lung, silica dust & dangerous work: inthesetimes.com/article/trum...
Trump’s Latest Target: Coal Miners’ Safety
In one fell swoop, the Trump administration took an axe to the agency tasked with handling legal disputes around mine worker safety. It could signal even deeper cuts to worker protections coming down…
inthesetimes.com
The 2026 print edition of The Appalachian Voice will be available on newsstands beginning this month! 🗞️ 🎉 Please sign up to get copies for yourself and to share with others. Use this form to order free copies of the newspaper for yourself or others: https://appvoices.org/voice/distribution-2026/
“If this President or any politician truly wants to talk about the coal industry, they need to start by protecting the people who make it possible: the miners.” #BlackLungKills kentuckylantern.com/2026/05/01/p...
President Trump says he wants to save coal. He can't forget about coal miners. • Kentucky Lantern
Last week, the Trump Administration announced it was indefinitely pausing a new safeguard that would have curbed the silica dust that is causing black lung.
kentuckylantern.com
If you were around the KY/VA border on HWY 23 last Friday, you might have heard the sounds of an Appalachian shindig in downtown Pound. Pound, usually known for having almost lost its charter because of widespread corruption, is now showing up as a leader in true community-led revitalization. 1/5
If you were around the KY/VA border on HWY 23 last Friday, you might have heard the sounds of an Appalachian shindig in downtown Pound. Pound, usually known for having almost lost its charter because of widespread corruption, is now showing up as a leader in true community-led revitalization. 1/5
vrha.org/work-for-vrha/ If anyone is interested in furthering a career in medical education in rural areas!
Work for VRHA – VRHA
vrha.org
Yesterday, MSHA's silica dust rule was supposed to go into effect for all metal and non-metal mines. A year ago, it should have gone into effect for coal mines. Neither has occurred. MSHA is negotiating with industry to weaken the rule and blaming self-imposed constraints to delay action.
aclc.org
Today the President released his FY27 Budget Proposal. It contains harmful cuts to programs important to Eastern Kentucky. Read our Statement: aclc.org/2026/04/03/a...
Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center’s statement on the President’s proposed FY27 budget - Appalachian Citizens' Law Center
Today, the administration released a budget proposal for FY27 that will hurt Central Appalachian families. The budget completely eliminates funding for the Low-Income Household Energy Assistance Progr...
aclc.org
The ProPublica union has voted to authorize a strike. Around 150 journalists, videographers, copy editors and more voted to authorize, with 92% of the union voting yes. ProPublica allegedly rejected restrictions on replacing jobs with AI, and hasn't met other union concerns.
ProPublica Guild
propublicaguild.org
Another AI-generated grant landed in my inbox today so let’s chat about why, exactly, folks shouldn’t use AI for project applications. It can be really appealing, esp. in rural areas like SWVA where there are often few/no paid town employees and leaders play multiple roles within their community.1/9
#SouthwestVirginia has faced repeated floods in recent years, and there is a great need for better preparation for climate related disasters. That's why we're working with local residents to plan resilience projects and ensure that local voices lead the way. #SWVA Read more: https://loom.ly/7fgt9oo
Another AI-generated grant landed in my inbox today so let’s chat about why, exactly, folks shouldn’t use AI for project applications. It can be really appealing, esp. in rural areas like SWVA where there are often few/no paid town employees and leaders play multiple roles within their community.1/9
The Interior Department has rescinded more than 80% of its prior rules under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA, one of the country’s foundational environmental laws, requires federal agencies to conduct detailed reviews of how proposed projects could impact surrounding communities,
The coalfields of SWVA are covered in snow and ice so it seemed like a good time to bust out a cozy cookbook and try this lemon cake, make with vanilla tea-infused butter and a cream cheese icing.
The coalfields of SWVA are covered in snow and ice so it seemed like a good time to bust out a cozy cookbook and try this lemon cake, make with vanilla tea-infused butter and a cream cheese icing.
“Everyone deserves a safe community, clean air and water, safety on the job, and the basic constitutional protections at the foundation of our democracy. We urge our country’s leaders to work together to ensure that all of these rights are protected.”
Appalachian Voices statement on partial government shutdown
At Appalachian Voices, we believe that no matter our income level, the color of our skin or whether we live in a holler or a city, everyone deserves a safe community, clean air and water, safety on the job, and the basic constitutional protections at the foundation of our democracy. We urge our country’s leaders to work together to ensure that all of these rights are protected.
appvoices.org
Did #bison live in #Appalachia? 🦬 Indigenous and archaeological records indicate that bison were found in nearly every state. In Letcher County, KY, an Indigenous organization is seeking to reintroduce bison on 63 acres of a reclaimed mountaintop removal coal mine. https://loom.ly/4wf2D3o
Home on the Range … In Appalachia?
Many people believe wild bison have only ever lived and roamed in Yellowstone National Park or the vast open spaces depicted in Western films. Yet, Indigenous and archaeological records indicate that bison were found in nearly every state of what is now the United States — sorry, Hawaii — including in Appalachia. In Letcher County, Kentucky, the Appalachian Rekindling Project, an Indigenous, women-led organization, is seeking to reintroduce bison to the region on 63 acres of a reclaimed mount...
appvoices.org
If anyone wants to yell to the VA state legislators about clean energy, data centers, and community resilience, join us starting this Friday! appvoices.org/swva-hollers/
Southwest Virginia Holler from the Hollers
The 2026 Virginia General Assembly will be in session from January 14 to March 16, and Appalachian Voices is working to pass several bills relevant to
appvoices.org