Powering Appalachia

I attended the Renewable Energy in West Virginia conference on June 5 at the Conference Center in Flatwoods, West Virginia. The aim of the conference was to bring together organizations and individuals with experience implementing and managing renewable energy projects in West Virginia.

The event could not have come at a better time. With climate change reports divulging scary data on a seemingly weekly basis, the battle over energy production is at the forefront of American discourse. Coupled with the EPA's recent proposed rules limiting carbon dioxide emissions for power plants, the energy production landscape is changing. Considering West Virginia gets around 96% of its electricity from coal-fired plants, the prevalence of renewable energy (as well as the momentum to support a conference) in the Mountain State may seem surprising. But don't be fooled by Big Coal and our brazen representatives - renewable energy is alive in West Virginia and carries significance in both employment and state tax revenues. 

First, some quick facts on West Virginia's energy landscape from the Energy Information Administration:

• WV ranked 5th among states in total energy production in 2011, producing 4.9% of the national total
• In 2012, WV was the largest coal producer east of the Mississippi and second largest in the nation behind Wyoming; WV accounted for 12% of total U.S. production that year
• In 2012, 45% of the coal mined in WV was shipped to other states; 40% was exported to foreign countries 
• Coal-fired power plants accounted for 96% of WV net electricity generation in 2013; hydro and wind contributed only 4%
• WV typically generates more energy than it consumes; in 2010, 56% of its net electricity generation was consumed outside the state

The conference was structured with a lineup of leaders in various fields, ranging from independent business owners and fuels salesmen to government officials at state and federal levels. The event was moderated by Christine Risch, Director of Resource and Energy Economics for the Center for Business & Economic Research at Marshall University. Here's a breakdown of the presentations that caught my attention, their main takeaways, and my reflective thoughts on the information disseminated. 

Jeff Herholdt - Director of West Virginia Division of Energy (DOE)

Renewable Energy in the State of West Virginia

It was fitting that Herholdt spoke first, as everyone was still waking up, gathering their thoughts, and not yet on the offensive. As the head honcho of a state agency that issues unwavering support for the (highly-unregulated) coal industry, Herholdt attempted to advance the agenda that the state is cultivating a renewable-friendly environment. Considering that simple mention of regulation or renewable energy sources throws state officials into the 'War on Coal' battle cry, I can see why Herholdt got his presentation over with early in the day. He did throw some statistics out to paint West Virginia's energy picture:

WV Energy Flow from Coal (2011 - based on EPA consumption data)

• Exported coal accounted for 3,277.1 trillion BTUs
• WV used 724.2 trillion BTUs

2012 Electricity Generation

• Coal - 96%
• Renewables - 4%

Wind Capacity

• 583.1 Megawatts (MW)
• From 2007 - 2011, WV had the largest wind production capacity in the South East

Solar Capacity

• 1.92 MW
• From 2006 - 2014, capacity increased from ZERO MW to 1.92 MW

Geothermal HVAC

• Northwestern WV was recognized as a geothermal hotspot by Google

Biomass

• Switchgrass can be planted in energy parks
• Wood pellets as heating fuel
• Biochar from poultry litter
• Charleston landfill gas project
• Summer capacity: 2.2 MW

While Herholdt's figures shed dim light on the depressing lack of renewables currently in use, the mention of geothermal and biomass from a state official was a step in the right direction. As for the economic viability of geothermal in a state where cheap electricity comes from coal, we'll have to see what kind of projected costs a large-scale geothermal HVAC plant would involve. I'm a big proponent of biosequestration and biofuels coming from organic matter, and one look at the jungle-like growth of hardwood forests following the spring bloom shows the potential of biofuels as small-scale alternatives for rural communities and individual households in West Virginia. 

Robert Anders - Chief of Staff, Renewable Power for U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Federal Renewable Energy Initiatives

Serving as a top-level federal official making his appearance in Coal Country, Anders' presentation provided a snapshot of the national energy picture. I have cherry picked the items pertinent to renewables and their viability in Appalachia:

Growth of Renewables in U.S.

• Capacity from 7.1 Gigawatts (GW) to 11.5 GW in the previous year alone

Double-Double Plan for 2020

• This DOE initiative seeks to double wind, solar and geothermal capacities
• The first 'doubling' occured from 2008-2012

According to Anders, the DOE subsidiary Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has an initiative that seeks to make renewables cost-competitive to traditional (fossil fuel) energy sources WITHOUT subsidies. That is a huge goal with a massive undertaking - fossil fuels subsidies in 2011 accounted for over $500 billion in breaks to producers world-wide. While renewables receive far greater subsidies in ratio to fossil fuels, the pure dollar amount oil and gas producers are gifted leaves renewables remaining woefully unfeasible.

Tom Feldman - VP of Project Development for Free Flow Power (FFP)

New Hydro at Existing Dams: Making Beneficial Use of Existing Infrastructure

In this intriguing yet controversial set of ideas, Feldman's presentation detailed exactly what the title implies: retrofitting existing dams to take advantage of the potential energy in their hydrological flows. The big issue with FPP isn't retrofitting the dams, but rather the dams themselves. These structures are typically built for flood control and navigational purposes, but have unintended consequences. Dams pool water, flooding areas that may once have been ecologically, geographically, or even archaeologically important. The loss of free flow in a river is devastating for fisheries and other ecology. Sedimentation at the dam wall and at mouths of major rivers due to loss of free flow causes environmental problems. At peak dam construction in the 1960s, over five dams were being constructed per day. There are over 75,000 dams in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams. Fortunately, the frenzy has subsided, and watershed advocacy groups are now fighting to remove dams (mostly on major Western rivers where salmon runs have diminished and agriculture has deemed the waters dead). Here in the East, I don't see any dams being removed as the population is too concentrated on river banks below potentially deadly floodzones. While people need to recognize the flood plain as part of the river, enough of them live on one that dam removal isn't feasible anytime soon. With that said, I think FPP has a noble idea - using existing infrastructure is part of the green movement. After all, one of the R's in the recycle logo is to reuse. Recognizing existing potential energy is as important as finding new forms of energy. 

• 10 of FPP's 21 current projects are on the Allegheny, Ohio and Monongahela rivers
• Totaling 208 MW capicity
• Why West Virginia?
• FPP recognizes the abundant water resources in WV
• The drop in water surface elevations creates high amount of potential energy
• For FPP, the most important geographical region is the Monongahela River
• Morgantown Lock and Dam project
• Estimated generation: 197 GW
• Total capacity: 5 MW

The Morgantown Lock and Dam project is highly controversial due to its proximity to the public - the Mon River railtrail passes directly alongside the dam, which is located downtown on the Wharf District. This area has been the recipient of mass revitalization and construction in the past decade, and now is a major source of recreation for many of Morgantown's residents. While the idea of a new clean energy source in our fair city is enticing, the unsightly mass of a power generation facility was not received well by the community. Here was Feldman's answer: The redesign of the project places 2/3 of the powerhouse below the water level, with the exposed 1/3 rising 20 feet above the waterline below the dam. The design will use all existing transformers, utility lines and poles to transmit power to the grid without the need for new infrastructure. The original design called for rerouting the railtrail - but Feldman claims placing the powerhouse below waterline will cause no disturbance to the rail trail or the viewshed on the river. 

Eric Miller - Director of Business Development for Invenergy

Update on the Expansion of the Beech Ridge Wind Facility

Invenergy is the largest wind energy producer in the U.S., and Miller was present to blow hot air on the Beech Ridge project in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. This large-scale wind farm is comprised of 67 turbines that produce 200-300,000 Megawatt hours (MWh) per year. The big takeaway wasn't cryptically coded in the onslaught of bar graphs and pie charts that Miller clicked through - we all know wind is effective and efficient on localized-grid production scales - but rather, it came in the form of every wind opponent's favorite talking point: bird deaths. The common battle cry against wind is that it decimates bird populations. A few searches on avian mortality will not provide a consensus, but rather a wide range of estimates and figures. What some literature generally does show, however, is that the fossil fuel industry, cats, and even collisions with glass result in far more avian deaths than windmills. 

The issue at hand in West Virginia is centered around the Indiana Bat, which currently resides on the endangered species list. This requires Invenergy's Beech Ridge facility to obtain federal incidental take permits, a less-morbid term for the number of birds the feds allow Invernergy's blades to polish off each year. This permit also requires summer curtailment - a process when the turbines shut down when reaching lower speeds at night - to cater to the nocturnal hunting methods of these ecologically-important flying mammals. Invenergy spends over $50,000 per year (as well they should) on lawn maintenance around the turbine bases so trained technicians can comb the lawns for bird carcasses. The company even plants carcasses to test the efficiency of its crews. 

And you know what Invenergy has found? Only one (1) bat fatality and zero (0) bird fatalities since April 1. Just one. For a ridge-length facility containing 67 mills. The average large wind turbine has a blade length of 50 meters. That's a rotational diameter of 100 meters. That's 6,700 meters (21,981 feet!) of Indiana Bat gauntlet at Beech Ridge with only one 'take.' I'm not throwing bird caution to the wind - consideration of any and all environmental impacts is absolutely crucial to the future of energy production. But it was nice to hear some factual information from one facility to quell the ungrounded bird fears of fossil fuel lovers. 

Colin Williams - VP of Sales & Marketing for Mountain View Solar

Solar in the Mountain State: Growing West Virginia's Renewable Energy Industry

This was one of the most engaging, inspiring, and thought-provoking presentation of the event. Williams' excitement for the future of solar in West Virginia was evident in his enthusiasm. Mountain View Solar (MTV) is located in the Eastern Panhandle town of Berkeley Springs and completes residential and commercial solar installs while advocating for pro-solar legislation in the Mountain State. MTV Solar was instrumental in the 2009 passage of the WV Residential Solar Energy Tax Credit. 

According to Williams, solar is growing in WV for several reasons:

• Solar is a cost-effective way to control utility costs
• Greater public awareness equates to increased public confidence in solar as a viable alternative 
• Federal tax credits help offset high initial costs 
• Solar is a consistent source of back-up power if the main electrical grid goes down
• Recognition of national job growth and employment:
• 150,000 people directly employed
• Up from 20,000 in 2009
• 24% increase in 2013 alone

MTV Solar has been responsible for:

• 1.52 GW capacity produced over 200 home installs
• Over 4 MW total installs
• 550 panels on the Mountain Line public transit headquarters in Morgantown
• Provides near all energy on-site
• Largest solar array in WV: carport of American Pubic University System financial center in Charles Town
• 407 kilowatt (KW) array
• Produces 35% of energy used in-building
• Includes 15 charging ports for electric vehicles
• MTV Solar awarded U.S. Small Business Administration 2012 WV Entrepreneurial Success of the Year

Another admirable mention included the company's Solar Goodness program, which has helped 11 low-income families install solar panels on their Habitat for Humanity homes. This program goes to show that solar isn't only for well-heeled tree huggers. Solar Goodness successfully illustrates that collaborative philanthropy can produce energy-efficient affordable housing and assist needy families by lowering their utility bills. 

"Solar has no political affiliation and has absolutely no adverse effect on any other energy industry in the state," Williams said. 

One reason solar is an accessible alternative for individual consumers is its incremental nature - one panel can be installed at a time. While initial up-front costs for a general solar install typically range from $10 - $30,000, residents don't have to cover their entire roofs all at once. Williams also mentioned the ability of solar to function as a "power island," stating that advancements in battery backup systems allow power to be created, stored, and used during grid failures. In a state where major storms in all seasons knock power out to tens (and sometimes hundreds) of thousands of customers, backup systems can potentially mean life or death for vulnerable and extremely rural residents.

The biggest barrier to private solar feasibility in West Virginia, however, is that individual generators can not sell energy they produce from their solar systems back to the grid. Williams directly addressed West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC) director Caryn Short, claiming this was a major issue for the PSC to tackle.

Edward "Ed" Evans - Athletic Director for Mount View High School, Welch, WV
Solar Photovoltaics in a High School Classroom

Mr. Evans was right alongside MTV Solar's Williams in positivity, enthusiasm, and inspiration. As a teacher in McDowell County, West Virginia, the poorest county in the state, Evans has his work cut out for him. I was so entranced in his presentation that I completely forgot to scribble down notes. Somehow, someway, Evans was able to obtain funding to have solar panels installed on Mount View High School in Welch. For those unaware, Welch used to be a booming industrial town with a population of over 100,000 in the first half of the 20th Century. When mechanization of the coal industry caused mass job loss and poverty to set in, Welch's population began its downward spiral and now stands at 2,406. A colleague from journalism school recently produced a Peabody Award-winning documentary and interactive website dubbed the Hollow project- I highly encourage a visit.

With high mortality rates, job loss, and brain drain sucking away any of the area's talented youth, Evans is working from a black hole. But unlike intelligent students and industrial jobs, light can't escape the black hole that is eating Welch from the inside out. It is this light that Evans is using to illuminate the minds of his students at Mount View. He described the curriculum as an applied science - students not only get hands-on, roof top experience with the panels, they use advanced computer programs to monitor the output and performance of the array. Evans claims any one of his students can look at all the technical terms that appear in this post and know what they mean, how they apply to the energy grid, and how to make applicable use of them. 

Evans, who garnered the America's Top Science Teacher award in 2008 following a two-day competition at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, is successfully promoting this solar curriculum in the most poverty-stricken county in the state - one that takes immense pride in coal mining as a legacy career and has felt the destructive shockwave of the boom-and-bust industrial cycle. If he can alter the path of one student to progress in a STEM career (or even to stay and promote renewable energy in Welch), Evans claims his program is a success. He must have figured out a way to store that solar energy on his person - his presentation cast a noticeable light on conference attendees who had started to fade by the time he went on in the afternoon session. I have reached out to Mr. Evans in hopes of interviewing him for a spotlight piece on this blog - stay tuned to see if it comes to fruition.

Sources for all information were obtained directly from the presenters detailed in this post and from the links available in the text - DJ

Vernal Review

It's no secret that Appalachia is host to some of the best scenery America has to offer. From grand, mountainous vistas to pastoral settings that remind of us simpler times; from thick, lush forests to evening meadows with fog resting like pillows in the svelte curvature of rolling hills; from endemic flora and fauna to mountain folk whose bloodlines extend back to colonization; rural life and natural scenery are ingrained in Appalachia like a defiant eastern child who refuses to succumb to the glitz and glamour of The Big Apple.

This blog, sometimes radically and irreverantly, seeks to shed light on the shadowy ills that plague the Appalachian region. The stories are disheartening and often infuriating. Sometimes those who man the front lines want to drop their arms and flee. I've been told, often with a snide tone, "If you hate it so much, then leave." To those who fail to see the connection between passion and anger, I reply, "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." That stock rebuttal is commonly attributed to Thomas Jefferson, even though the Monticello claims no evidence of his speaking or writing this exists. 

Between extractive industry and exploitative poverty, beauty flourishes here. As a native son of West Virginia and an avid outdoorsman, I have a deep love and affinity for the land that nourishes Appalachia's roots. I (sometimes selfishly) take every opportunity to immerse myself in its diverse ecosystems. A unique aspect of Appalachia lies in its acquaintance with all four seasons. There aren't many places in America where you can experience the intensity and biting cold of a heavy snow storm, the ethereal explosion of spring, the stifling heat of a long summer day, and the vivid brilliance of autumn leaves from the same rocking chair on an old covered porch. I feel this one of the most special and endearing qualities of the region - one that is often taken for granted.

 The following are my favorite photographs I've had the pleasure of capturing during the spring season throughout some of the most treasured landscapes in Appalachia. Click on the images to enlarge. 

Sprouting buds greet the sun on bare branches overlooking Foster Falls, Tennessee. 

Hemlock forest glows in afternoon light on an unknown stream in Tennessee. 

Intricate cairns peacefully stand next to crystal clear waters in Tennessee. 

Ice flows hang on to the last throes of winter along sandstone cliffs in Snake Hill Wildlife Management Area, West Virginia. 

The evening sky burns bright on Easter near Kentucky's Red River Gorge.

Ominous clouds and color streak Route 19 by the Meadow River Gorge in West Virginia. 

Evening light scatters over a calm pond in Coopers Rock State Forest, West Virginia. 

Spring imitates Ireland where my grandfather rests peacefully in Greene County, Pennsylvania. 

Spring rains swell the riffles at the start of the world-class Cheat Canyon whitewater run in Preston County, West Virginia. 

Neon green explodes around the Henry Clay Iron Furnace at Coopers Rock State Forest, West Virginia. 

Crisped rhododendron leaves and flower pedals contrast against charred earth after a recent fire burned along the rim of the New River Gorge in West Virginia. 

A tall cascade intersects the Butchers Branch section of the Kaymoor Miners Trail in the New River Gorge, West Virginia. 

An early spring thunderstorm casts a brilliant rainbow in its wake over Morgantown, West Virginia.

Gentle spring rains soak the Kentucky countryside while an overhang shelters the top of a rock climbing route in the Red River Gorge.

(Re)defining Appalachia

What is Appalachia? Where are its borders? Who are its people? What is its culture? What problems burden its existence? Why is it special? In answering these questions, we can define Appalachia. But using antiquated ideas to do so does little to further the region. It's time that we share in the discussion of redefining Appalachia.

The quintessential element of change in regional and cultural identities is found in shifting the paradigm. The lens through which we see the world has far more influence than the facts and figures we use to focus that lens. The Renaissance. The Enlightenment. Women's Rights. The Labor Movement. Civil Rights. All of these movements were not the result of scientific research or a theoretical epiphany. These major sociopolitical changes happened when brave souls, followed by societies, changed the perception of what was already clear to those seemingly prophetic observers. 

Paradigm shifts are taking place right now with gay rights, environmental justice, and marijuana legalization. So why not Appalachia? The region is long overdue for a makeover: environmental degradation is hitting critical mass, political polarization is pitting residents against one another, infrastructure is aging (and failing), and wealth disparity is forcing people to continue the same destructive practices that we know are not sustainable. We see the facts. We have the figures. But the lens we focus on Appalachia remains the same obsolete relic through which we first observed the region in the 19th and 20th Centuries.

Appalachia means many things to many people. To some, it is a mountain range - one of the world's oldest continuous chains. To others, it is a political region synonymous with poverty and industrial economics. For culture aficionados, it is a bubbling mountain spring of art and music. Let's divide Appalachia into three spheres: regional, environmental, and cultural. Like a Venn Diagram, these spheres overlap in certain aspects, combining to create a new vision for Appalachia. This post will lay the foundation on which we can began building the framework. Subsequent posts will address each sphere in detail. Let's start the conversation.

As a region: If we're going to get official, we must recognize the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The ARC was born in the 1960s when President John F. Kennedy met with the Council of Appalachian Governors - a group of ten leaders from Alabama, Georgia, South and North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania - to address the need for federal assistance in the rural mountain communities. At the time when progress in America was the gold standard, these areas continually lagged at the bottom of rankings for income, education, healthcare and transportation. Kennedy himself visited West Virginia in 1960 - an iconic move that would propel his presidential campaign to success in Appalachia.

Charleston Gazette photograph of JFK speaking
in front of the West Virginia Capital building in Charleston.
Source: West Virginia Division of Culture and History

Along with Kennedy, the iconic 1962 book Night Comes to the Cumberlands: A Biography of a Depressed Area by Harry M. Caudill served as a window for the nation to view Appalachian poverty and history in the Cumberland Plateau of Kentucky.

Kennedy's visit to the Mountain State saw living conditions that convinced him of the need to send federal aid to Appalachia. The ARC was formed in 1963 and became a federal agency in 1965. Although it has no governing powers, it was and remains critical in advancing legislation and serves as a research and planning advocate. It was instrumental in constructing the Appalachian Development Highway System and brought sewage and water infrastructure to areas with out any utilities.

Strangely enough, when news came to surrounding areas of federal funding for infrastructure and education, a campaign to expand Appalachia rose from the coal ashes. States and municipalities that had previously taken whatever means necessary to distance themselves from the region began clambering to become a part of Appalachia. Mississippi, Ohio and New York stood unified with their lesser cousins and joined the party for the federal cash grab.

Appalachia following the formation of the ARC. Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Appalachian_region_of_United_States.gif

The ARC is currently comprised of 420 counties (or county equivalents) and partners with 73 local development districts. Its present day mission is to be a strategic partner and advocate for sustainable community and economic development in Appalachia. Has it been effective and efficient? One can clearly see its presence through the highway and utility infrastructure. But what about economics? Poverty still plagues the region and extractive industries rule the physical - and political - landscape. Has the disease of big bureaucracy infiltrated its hallways? To redefine Appalachia as a region, we must examine the ARC and demand reform. 

As an environment: Appalachia is not a single environment, such as one might label a river riparian or a forest coniferous. It is, however, a patchwork quilt of wildly diverse and finely-tuned ecosystems that thrive through symbiosis and self-regulation. While the ancient mountains have fought to resist erosion for over a billion years, the ecosystems that have taken that time to evolve are not as strong. Pull one thread from the weave, and the quilt will unravel given enough time.

Industry, like an ignorant child, has tugged at the corners of the quilt for well over one hundred years. The fabric, while appearing to be in one piece, is tattered and dirty. Most are aware of the monsters of mining, the downfalls of dams, the lows of logging, and the dangers of development. Some issues, however, remain under the radar for the average citizen. Acid mine drainage (AMD) degrades watersheds. Diseases arising from pollution and invasive species plague Appalachian flora and fauna. The Wooly Adelgid beetle, for example, is ravaging eastern hemlock forests at an astounding rate. If hemlocks disappear, we can say goodbye to trout and cold-water aquatic life, along with over 90 species of birds that nest in the shade-tolerant conifer. Analogous to the quilt, if we remove one life form, many others go with it.

Is it too late? The quilt still exists. It needs to be mended. It will take the time, effort, dedication, and yes, loads of funding, to restore the ecological fabric of Appalachia. Have we started the conversation? I believe we have. But we must be sure to avoid simply pointing fingers. We must not only ask questions, but ask the right questions. To redefine Appalachia as an environment, we must view it as a comprehensive ecosystem.

As a culture: Appalachian heritage is a formidable beast in anthropology. There is a rustic romanticism in the self-reliance of the early Appalachian settlers. While few would pine to suffer through the disease, famine, and other hardships that mired these original mountaineers, the culture that developed around their struggle contains some of the most hauntingly beautiful music and art of the modern era. In this romanticism lies the blueprint for an Appalachian Renaissance. As societal events trigger the enzymes, the cultural evolution is set in motion. The inaugural decade of the 21st century fired some of these triggers: Environmental justice. Natural foods and farming. Support for local businesses. Sustainability. I believe the Appalachian Renaissance is in a catalytic state and is being driven forward by energetic and passionate citizens.

In my experience, I sense a contingency of folks - both young and seasoned - flocking to Appalachia to relish in rural living. Despite persuasive attempts at urbanization by shareholders and profiteers, many of us want to live in small, rural communities. We may not need forty acres and a mule, but we place high value on forested land and the absence of light and noise pollution. Believe or not, we are at a point in society where a dark night sky and the silence of a summer evening are considered threatened resources.

Too often the prescription for socioeconomic ills is rampant development. Just as a doctor slapping an Rx on your arm for a malady that can be treated holistically through self-awareness and preventative measures, development attempts to cover up the problem as opposed to addressing its roots. And this development has consequences: landscapes are scarred, the poor and uneducated become further disenfranchised, demographics change, and local businesses are stamped out by corporate chains. To redefine Appalachia as a culture, we must embrace its heritage while cultivating a supportive network that fosters localization and economic self-sufficiency for rural communities. 

Cheating the System

April, 2014. Cheat River Canyon, West Virginia. 

This datum and locale will appear as the opening lines of a victory statement for Appalachians on the front lines in the struggle for environmental conservation. This marks the day that the good guys won the decades-long battle for the Cheat. 

The significance of this victory is not to be understated. Ripe on the heels of the chemical spill disaster in Charleston and a gut-wrenching photo expose on mountaintop removal, West Virginians were in dire need of some positive news. And they received it this month when The Nature Conservancy and The Conservation Fund announced the official protection and designation of the Cheat River Canyon as a state Wildlife Management Area. 

Through an agreement between those conservation agencies, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR), and previous-owner Forestland Group, a  3,800 acre parcel including the seven-mile stretch of whitewater known to aficionados as "The Canyon" is now protected. This designation will conserve the spectacular scenic qualities and recreation opportunities of the Cheat while improving public access to its steep and forested hillsides.

The Cheat River Canyon is home to bald eagles, bobcats and otters. It represents a biodiversity hotspot for the region's flora. The Canyon also serves as sanctuary for the endangered Indiana bat and the threatened flat-spired three-toothed snail - an endemic species that exists nowhere else on Earth. The river is host to native trout species, and through the efforts of environmental advocacy groups, is improving in its ability to host aquatic life. 

Read the official release from The Nature Conservancy here. 

The area outlined in red represents the now-protected 3,800 acre parcel containing seven miles of the Cheat River Canyon. Source: Friends of the Cheat (FOC) Facebook page.

The outlook for recreation is exciting: paddling, hiking, biking, fishing, hunting, and possibly some climbing (when those highly-coveted boulder stashes are discovered) all are in abundance here. According to the Nature Conservancy, "the project also provides the opportunity to reopen a section of the 330-mile Allegheny Trail that had to be re-routed after it was closed by a previous owner."

From The Nature Conservancy's release:
"After the New and Gauley rivers, the Cheat is the most important stretch of whitewater in West Virginia," said [Rodney] Bartgis. "It's one of the great beloved landscapes in West Virginia and has tremendous beauty, significant plant and animal diversity, and abundant recreation potential."

Dylan (front right) and climbing pal Eric Fizer (front left) running the Coliseum Rapid in May, 2012. Photo purchased with use permission from White Water Adventures. 

People are talking. Facebook is abuzz with links directing folks to the good news, and the energy is palpable. It will all culminate in May at the 20th-Annual Cheat River Festival, a whitewater and Appalachian celebration sponsored by Friends of the Cheat (FOC). Like many other "friends of" organizations, FOC is an advocate of the river. While the Cheat's deafening rapids muffle the audible whoops of paddlers and the thrashing green water moves boulders the size of buses, the river cannot speak for itself or resist the encroachment of those looking to seize its treasures. This is where the admirable folks at FOC come in, working tirelessly to mitigate the acid mine drainage that stains boulders orange and make sure the water we love to play in can support aquatic life. Several of my friends work there, and their efforts are laudable considering the state of the river decades ago. Cheat Fest also serves as the major annual fundraiser for the organization, and I encourage all locals to attend - you will not be disappointed.

Others have shared in the joy surrounding this momentous occasion. A local climbing friend and GIS coordinator for Monongalia County stated, "it's the best environmental news on a positive note that I've heard in this state in years."

Another friend and colleague who coordinates West Virginia First, an initiative of the West Virginia Community Development Hub that promotes and connects local businesses, had informed me of her plans to move earlier in the month. The Cheat Canyon news has inspired her to remain in West Virginia. She said, "I've decided not to move, and it's hopefully for the good. It's because of all this potential energy building right now. I want to be part of tipping the ball over the edge."

Potential energy. Angular momentum. Environmental vindication. It's happening, here and now. I'll be the first to admit that I've wavered in my commitment to West Virginia over the years, most recently in my graduate studies at West Virginia University. Environmental policy can, at times, lead one down the dark and dusty rabbit hole of ecological turmoil. Constant news of chemical spills, mountaintop removal, and health defects resulting from these burdens can weigh heavily on one's soul.

Consider it a morale boost for those engaged in the nitty gritty details of conservation. Administrative paper work and red tape can curb the passion and energy of those once devoted to an organization's mission. I, for one, am excited and have a renewed sense of belonging in my personal mission to give back to the ancient mountains that have silently gifted so much to my growth. If a rolling stone gathers no moss, consider the boulders clean. The walls of industry are beginning to crumble.

While companies like Alpha Natural Resources look to level our mountains, we as collective forces have leveled the playing field by ensuring that some natural wonders will remain for our children and for future generations. After all, the ebb and flow of the ancient rivers that have carved these treasured gorges is reflected in the tug-of-war match between conservationists and extractionists. The stakes are high, and the battle will likely continue for decades. Give them an inch, they'll take a mountain. Give us an inch, we'll take seven miles. We must use this victory to rally the troops and pull harder. But for today, we celebrate. Today, we have pulled the dark side 3,800 acres closer to the slurry pit that separates us.

West Virginia's Twelfth Man

A lot has been written lately regarding ESPN's portrayal of West Virginia in its recent film, Requiem for the Big East, part of its critically-acclaimed 30 for 30 Series. The film depicts the "meteoric" rise and fall of the Big East basketball conference, a now-defunct conglomeration of Eastern collegiate superpowers and big-name superstars. West Virginia University (WVU) played a critical role in the success of the Big East, especially in its final years, winning its first Big East Conference title in 2010 and making the line "The Butler did it!" a household classic.

In the film, West Virginia is mostly ignored while other institutions are romanticized and praised for their athletics and overall prowess. When WVU receives its limelight, a sour taste is left in the mouths of those who live, love, and took an oath as life-long Mountaineers in the Mountain State.

Not only does executive producer Ezra Edelman use West Virginia to illustrate the racism that Patrick Ewing received while playing his collegiate years at Georgetown University, the all-too-familiar opening licks of "Dueling Banjos" echo through viewers' living rooms as overall-clad hillbillies play the Appalachian staple instrument on the rickety front porch of a dilapidated mountain dwelling.

The racism Ewing experienced was not specific to West Virginia, nor is the poverty that continues to plague this multi-state region (including the likes of Kentucky-based University of Louisville, which received no negative criticism or stereotypical Appalachian depiction in the film).

Fellow WVU student Christopher Nyden drafted an emotional and well-written response to the film in the WVU student newspaper, The Daily Athenaeum. I encourage you to read his letter to gain a full understanding of the film's disappointing WVU depiction, and to share in his sentiment.

Enough about that - criticism and unfair portrayal of West Virginia in the national media is nothing new, in fact it's something I've come to expect as a native son of this rural and oft-forgotten state. I'd need a few extra hands to count the number of individuals I met out West who didn't realize West Virginia is, in fact, its own sovereign state. "Oh, western Virginia, I have a cousin in Richmond!" is a classic line that our residents use as satire to illustrate Westerners' lack of geographical knowledge.

West Virginians place their collegiate sports teams on a pedestal as proverbially gilded as the Capital's golden dome in Charleston. After all, a forested state bisected by a few interstate highways will never play host to a professional team. And their legacies are epic - in a state with a population of only 1.8 million, WVU athletics have accomplished some amazing things. The story of the 1970 plane crash that took the lives of the entire  Marshall University football team is immortalized in the film "We Are Marshall." Knowledgeable fans of collegiate athletics can't deny the Mountain State's place in glorified sports lore.

I could write yet another heartfelt response begging ESPN for an apology that it won't issue, but that won't accomplish anything. And while Nyden's letter is well-deserving of the publication - and publicity - that it received, his call for apology has been made many times in the past. I believe these requests fall short in their (perhaps unintentional) desire that West Virginia's Appalachian heritage be not portrayed at all.

I'd like to suggest something different for ESPN: a focus on West Virginia's Twelfth Man. And by that, I mean those who play in its great outdoors. World-class rock climbing and bone-crushing whitewater accompany some of the best skiing and mountain biking in the East. And with those adrenaline-fueled mountain sports come some of the world's strongest athletes - physically and mentally.

Alongside highlight reel Mountaineer touchdowns, ESPN should show Fayetteville climber Pat Goodman putting up some of the world's hardest traditional climbing routes at the New River Gorge. Buzzer-beating buckets should be paired with footage of the carnage that occurs when the annual Summersville Dam release makes the Upper Gauley River some of the gnarliest white water on the entire planet. Bundled with these clips should be West Virginia's residents shredding vertical lines in the summer and winter at the 24 Hours of Snowshoe mountain bike and ski events.

And while we're at it, let's boast these amazing adventure sports with a soundtrack of beautiful Appalachian music from the likes of West Virginia native Tim O'Brien plucking alongside mandolin wizard Chris Thile. 
Let's show these technical masters of mountain music playing on the nationally-broadcast favorite Mountain Stage. If bluegrass ain't your thing, choose from the diverse list of well-known West Viriginia musicians. Or if you need some grime to pump up your footage, play world-famous producer Pretty Lights' remix of the state anthem that he dropped at the 2011 All Good Music Festival in Preston County.

After all, we've got a lot to be proud of. Unfortunately, national media outlets don't see it that way. And as they continue to cover the bad and stereotype the good, Mountaineers will move forward. While touchdowns are scored and foul shots are made, limits will be pushed on rock and in water. While tailgates rage and traffic accrues, powder will spray and solace will be found on Wilderness trails. That's how West Virginia's real Twelfth Man participates. Because at the end of the day, the best escape from the dark shadows of national discourse can always be found in those ancient Appalachian mountains.

Regulating West Virginia's Water

On Monday, March  24, I attended the event "Protecting West Virginia's Water: Legislation, Litigation, and Lessons Learned for the Future of Water Regulation in West Virginia," a symposium sponsored by the West Virginia University (WVU) Environmental Law Society and the WVU College of Law's Center for Energy and Sustainable Development.

The symposium featured a panel of four experts from various fields: West Virginia Senate Majority Leader John Unger (D – Berkeley); Dr. Paul Ziemkiewicz of the West Virginia Water Research Institute; Dr. Rahul Gupta of the Kanawha County-Charleston Health Department; and WVU law professor Patrick McGinley. A representative of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was listed as a panel member but was not present for the event. 

The event featured discussion concerning water safety, the value of water as a public resource, and legislative response to the Elk River disaster - a chemical spill from Freedom Industries' above-ground storage tanks upstream from WV's largest public water intake that tainted drinking water for 300,000 Charleston, WV-area residents (McGinley stated that number should be closer to 500,000 when considering those who traveled through and visited the area during the 9 day water usage ban). While neither as informative nor engaging as I had hoped, the event did feature some valuable information. The structure of the symposium was framed by a monologue from each panelist followed by a brief question-and-answer period (the panelists spoke for most of the event, forcing the closing of the Q&A period after two questions). The following is a summary of  each expert’s testimony.

WVU Law Prof. Patrick McGinley

• Enforcement of laws and regulations (or total lack thereof) was the main reason for the chemical spill. 
• Looking to the past for violations:
• Now-defunct Massey Energy had tallied up over 20,000 (yes, twenty THOUSAND) Clean Water Act  (CWA) violations - enough to account for 20 violations every day for 20 years - and the WV DEP did absolutely nothing until the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took notice. These violations resulted in fines of $20 million. 
• Alpha Natural Resources (ANR) (the purchaser in the Massey buyout following its dismantling) shamefully garnered 6,000 violations from 800 outfall pipes pumping pollutants directly into streams, resulting in record-setting fines of $27.5 million.
• McGinley: "We have a history in Appalachia of polluting our streams, and the battle of jobs versus water is always happening."
• The cost of pollution is externalized to the public through mitigation, remediation, treatment costs, and most importantly, public health. The legislature must enact laws to internalize the cost and make polluters either pay to pollute (or preferentially) prevent or mitigate degradation of our water supply. 
• McGinley: "You can have jobs and protect the environment, but you can't have both if laws aren't enforced."
• McGinley discussed what he labeled a "climate of lawlessness" where political benefits accrue to politicians and industry while that same industry goes unscathed. 
• Ultimately, the WV Legislature's response to the disaster (Senate Bill 373) falls short because it leaves enforcement of promulgated rules to the DEP - the same agency that turned a cheek to the unfathomable amount of CWA violations by Massey and ANR. 

Dr. Rahul Gupta

• The water crisis was the result of the inherent design of antiquated water regulations. According to Gupta, water regulations were originally designed to protect the public water supply from the tainting and transfer of communicable diseases - not industrial pollution. 
• Gupta repeatedly cited the alarming amount of individuals who sought treatment upon development of fevers, rashes, stomach illness, vomiting and diarrhea - symptoms associated with ingestion or contact of the toxic chemical MCHM.  
• Two hospitals saw two major spikes of visits with reported symptoms:
• After the initial January 9, 2014 spill and poisoning of public water supply
• During the flushing of West Virginia American Water's pipes
• These spikes came in waves as designated zones were flushed throughout the process
• While correlation does not imply causation, the timeliness and geographical location of the spikes congruent to the initial poisoning and subsequent flushing certainly indicates exposure.

Dr. Paul Ziemkiewicz

• Ziemkiewicz's testimony was mostly technical in nature, but he did ease the fears of those worried about long-term effects by showing the relatively-high water solubility of MCHM. Initial reports and media musings pulled speculation from the mostly-blank material safety data sheets (MSDS) for MCHM, stating that the chemical could linger in pipes for (insert sensationalized number here). While it is good to have the public alert to the possible long-term effects of any public health disaster, facts are facts and proper information needs to be disseminated. I didn't get exact numbers from Ziemkiewicz, so this figure is from memory: he made mention the half-life of MCHM in terms of water solubility being somewhere around 60 days. 

WV Senate Majority Leader John Unger

• Unger (D - Berkeley) was arguably the most charismatic of the group, with his passion shining through his speeches. As politicians regularly do, Unger promoted his work on SB 373 and cited past work on other water-related legislation or projects. 
• Unger: States need not only protect water as a critical resource, but must treat water and pollution sources as well. 
• SB 373 passed both houses of the WV legislature unanimously - a huge feat when considering the overwhelmingly pro-industry leanings of the bicameral institution. According to Unger, this was primarily due to the collective power of the public eye. The chemical spill opened a policy window - an event that sheds light on an issue of concern and builds enough awareness and support for immediate response - that forced the legislature to act in favor of public opinion (which, naturally, is in unanimous support of clean water). 
• Perhaps Unger's best idea involves cataloging water as a resource through a water inventory. No detail was given as to the scope of this project, but development of a water inventory could lead to cataloging of pollutants and critical areas of concern. 
• Unger: The inventory would require reporting and maintenance of science-based management plans. 

Science-based management is exactly what West Virginia needs in a dark and dusty time. A well-informed and empowered citizenry is required to check and enact these quintessential resource plans. Collaborative government fostering citizen engagement and public-private partnerships are successful methods that encourage productivity in the civil, governmental, and private spheres. The public should not expect clean water -  it must demand it. The concluding half of demand is following through and taking an active role in fulfilling a need. This is when citizen engagement doubles as a watch dog on governmental systems. Left unregulated, any system will fail over time. This truth holds across disciplines; across sectors; across biomes. After the blame is placed and the wounds are licked, the public must gather and petition the government for a redress of grievances – a quintessential element of the First Amendment. Because along with free speech and free press should come the right to clean water.

Everything Just Fine

According to an Associated Press (AP) story out of Washington, Alpha Natural Resources Inc. (ANR) and dozens of its subsidiaries have agreed to pay a $27.5 million fine as well as spend $200 million to reduce illegal toxic discharges across Appalachia. This agreement will cover a five state region comprised of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee - arguably the heart of Appalachia and the focal region of this blog.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this will be the largest fine ever levied by the federal agency - and it's about time. Frequently referred to as an environmental sacrifice zone, Appalachia has powered the lights and relentless consumer lifestyle of city slickers and suburbanites by destroying its resource-laden lands for over a century.

While the fine may seem significant and even hefty when compared to other infractions, it becomes a drop in the bucket when looking at ANR's financials - the company pulled in an impressive $1.1 billion in 2013.
Which means the fine is an astonishing 0.003% of ANR's net income in 2013. Not gross income or operating income, but NET INCOME - the amount the company reports as profit.

So basically what we're seeing is a ladybug landing on the wrist of an industrial behemoth. To believe this fine is sending a message is naive. To believe we're hitting them where it hurts is idiotic. ANR, like now-defunct Massey Energy and many other destructive companies before them, will happily pay this fine and continue business as usual. After all, it is financially smarter for companies to pay fines as opposed to the expensive practice of obeying safety standards and enacting proper remediation techniques. Considering the massive profits many of these companies rake in year after year, perhaps it is time to end the practice of fines and require that these regulations be actively followed and shutdown facilities indefinitely that violate- or have responsible parties face jail time. If federal employees can be sentenced to jail for negligence or fraud, why should private managers and executives who knowingly eschew public safety not face the gavel?

What raises the need for further research and discussion is the $200 million in waste reduction fees. The AP story simply mentions that the mine operators will install wastewater treatment systems and "take other measures" aimed at reducing pollutant discharge from 79 active mines and 25 coal processing states in the region. The scope of this agreement will dictate its financial impact on ANR and its environmental impact on Appalachia. If ANR is ponying up these dollars as part of an accelerated program to implement federal mandates, then the cost does not have a net negative effect. If this agreement is a penalization on Alpha, then we need to view it as a sunken cost because the damage has already been done, and these systems should have been in place and operational decades ago.

Moving Appalachia Forward

Welcome to what I hope becomes a well-traveled forum - one where residents and advocates of Appalachia can share ideas and low-impact practices to move the region forward in a progressive and sustainable manner.

Appalachia means many things to many people, but one unifying aspect is the beautiful land that comprises this often overlooked and dilapidated region of America. By identifying problematic issues and finding modern solutions, I am confident that we can transition Appalachia into a golden era - one that embraces rural living and promotes economic self-sufficiency through cooperative agriculture and sustainable energy development.

Expect commentary on the issues that continue to cause rifts in these tranquil valleys. Poverty and obesity. Coal and fracking. Outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship. Permaculture and rural regentrification. All topics must be on the table if we are to alter the pervasive practices that have depleted Appalachia of its best resources: its educated citizens and its natural resources.

Thank you for joining me on this ambitious mission of transition and for carrying on the conversations that must be heard in the world's oldest mountains.