COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 3 -- American Electric Power Corp. issued the following news release: While the Public Utility Commission of Texas denied approval of Southwestern Electric Power Co.'s (SWEPCO) plan to add 309 megawatts (MW) of wind energy to serve Texas customers, American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) has received the other regulatory approvals needed to acquire the entire planned 1,485 MW of North Central wind generation. AEP is investing approximately $2 billion to bring new renewable ener  more

BOONE, North Carolina, June 30 -- Appalachian Voices issued the following news release: 80 local, regional, and national organizations and leaders unveiled their National Economic Transition (NET) platform to give federal and national leaders and policymakers the framework for an ambitious national transition program that supports the people and places hit hardest by the changing coal economy. This NET platform was crafted by local, tribal, and labor leaders living and working in coal communit  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- The Appalachian Regional Commission issued the following news release: The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced that 81 high school and middle school students and 13 high school teachers from 13 Appalachian states will participate in the 30th annual ARC/ORNL Summer STEM Program. Originally planned as residential learning experience, this program will be delivered virtually beginning July 6. The ARC/ORNL Summer STEM Program, a partnership between Oak Ridge Assoc  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- The Appalachian Regional Commission issued the following news release: The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) welcomed the release of The Appalachian Energy and Petrochemical Renaissance: An Examination of Economic Progress and Opportunities, a new Department of Energy report on the Region's growing shale and gas industries. Drawing on ARC data, research, and investment outcomes, the report examines energy resources found in the Appalachian Region, opportunities and ch  more

BEREA, Kentucky, July 1 -- Berea College issued the following news release: William S. (Bill) Daugherty was elected in April to serve on the Berea College Board of Trustees for a term beginning July 1. A 1976 Berea College alumnus and recipient of Berea's 2017 Distinguished Alumnus Award, Daugherty is a co-founder and serves as a Managing Partner of BlackRidge Resource Partners LLC, an independent exploration and production company with oil and gas production in Kentucky, Illinois, Texas, Okla  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- The U.S. Department of Energy issued the following news: At the direction of President Trump, the U.S. Department of Energy released a report titled, "The Appalachian Energy and Petrochemical Renaissance: An Assessment of Economic Progress and Opportunities." The report is in response to the President's directive in Executive Order 13868, Promoting Energy Infrastructure and Economic Growth to assess opportunities to promote growth in the Appalachian region. Built on the fo  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, July 2 -- The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development issued the following news release: Governor Ralph Northam announced he is recommending more than $4.2 million in Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grants for 17 projects in the Appalachian region of Virginia, which encompasses 25 counties and eight independent cities in Southwest Virginia. ARC grants are used to stimulate economic development by funding projects such as infrastructure, entrepreneurshi  more

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee, June 30 -- The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy issued the following news release on June 29: A coalition of bill payers and community groups seek more Accountability, Cost-Savings, and Transparency from the Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) and are campaigning for an amendment on November's ballot to enact just that. KUB has been a long-time, trusted community partner, yet it appears KUB's leadership is losing touch with the people it serves. The grassroots campaign 'ACT  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Rep. David Trone, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: The House of Representatives passed H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, which invests $1.5 trillion in the nation's infrastructure and included Congressman David Trone's (MD-06) amendment to help fight the addiction crisis in America. The bill also included $100 billion investment in broadband funding, a top priority for Western Maryland that Trone advocated for as a part of the Rural Broadband Task Force. "Rebu  more

MEDFORD, Massachusetts, July 3 -- Hydrological Processes, a journal that says it advances understanding of the mechanisms underlying the movement and storage of water in the environment and the interaction of water with geological, biogeochemical, atmospheric and ecological systems, published research articles on the following topics in its July 1, 2020 edition: USING WATER AGE TO EXPLORE HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES IN CONTRASTING ENVIRONMENTS: * Catchment storage and residence time in a periodica  more

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, July 2 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory issued the following news: An NETL-supported project has provided researchers with core samples and other valuable subsurface data to assess natural gas resources in deep untapped reservoirs in Central Appalachia and evaluate potential extraction methods that would leave a light environmental footprint while creating needed jobs in a region significantly impacted by the downturn in the coal  more

OAK RIDGE, Tennessee, July 2 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory issued the following news release on July 1: Ada Sedova's journey to Oak Ridge National Laboratory has taken her on the path from pre-med studies in college to an accelerated graduate career in mathematics and biophysics and now to the intersection of computational science and biology. Through it all, her math and science prowess, insatiable curiosity and personal drive have propelled her to a moment w  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Rep. Nanette Barragan, D-California, issued the following news release: Congressmembers Nanette Diaz Barragan (Calif.), Chellie Pingree (Maine), Jared Huffman (Calif.), Alcee L. Hastings (Fla.) and Brenda Lawrence (Mich.) led 55 of their colleagues in urging House leadership to support a transformational green stimulus investment as Congress prepares the next COVID-19 relief and recovery packages. In a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy, the lawmakers w  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Rep. Alcee L. Hastings, D-Florida, issued the following news release: Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) joined Representatives Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), and Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) in leading 55 of their colleagues in sending a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) advocating for a bold and meaningful green stimulus investment package that would deliver a transformatio  more

POTTSVILLE, Pennsylvania, July 1 -- Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release on June 30: Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-09) joined a call with the United States Secretary of Energy, Dan Brouillette, to unveil the findings of a new report examining the economic progress and opportunities of the energy industry in the Appalachian region. "I applaud today's positive phone call and the release of this report on the future of the American energy industry," said Rep. Meuser. "T  more

FRANKFORT, Kentucky, July 3 -- Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Kentucky, issued the following news release: The Kentucky Division of Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) is seeking economic and community development proposals that will attract new industry and jobs to Kentucky's Appalachian counties. The 2020 Abandoned Mine Land Pilot Program has $25 million in federal grant money available through the Kentucky Division of Abandoned Mine Lands for projects in Appalachian counties with historic coal mining sites t  more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded $250,000 to the Village of Coal Grove for the replacement of outdated and undersized waterlines and install 77 fire hydrants. The new water infrastructure will improve fire safety throughout the village, as well as water quality and service for more than 1,300 households and 57 businesses. "Strong water and   more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) participated in a Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee hearing entitled "Infrastructure Development Opportunities to Drive Economic Recovery and Resiliency," which detailed the necessity of passing America's Transportation Infrastructure Act, especially now given the challenges of COVID-19. The bill passed unanimously out of the EPW Comm  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- Sen. Joe Manchin III, D-West Virginia, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Ranking Member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, applauded the renewed attention of the U.S. Department of Energy on North Central Appalachia in a report released this afternoon entitled The Appalachian Energy and Petrochemical Renaissance. "I have long believed that energy-r  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- The Southern Environmental Law Center issued the following news release on July 2: The Southern Environmental Law Center, joined by partners at Appalachian Mountain Advocates, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the law firm Johns & Counsel, opposed Dominion Energy and Duke Energy's request for two additional years to build the risky and unnecessary Atlantic Coast Pipeline. The filing, made with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on behalf of multiple conservation gro  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, July 1 -- Gov. Bill Lee, R-Tennessee, issued the following news: Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced that Tennessee has the fewest distressed counties statewide since 2007, down from 15 in 2019 to 11 counties according to the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). "McNairy, Jackson, Fentress and Morgan counties have shown tremendous improvement and we are proud to support continued efforts for greater stability and prosperity," said Gov. Lee. "As these counties improve  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, July 1 -- Gov. Ralph S. Northam, R-Virginia, issued the following news release: Governor Ralph Northam announced he is recommending more than $4.2 million in Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grants for 17 projects in the Appalachian region of Virginia, which encompasses 25 counties and eight independent cities in Southwest Virginia. ARC grants are used to stimulate economic development by funding projects such as infrastructure, entrepreneurship development, and workfor  more

CHARLESTON, West Virginia, June 30 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, Mike Stuart, issued the following news release: A Charleston doctor who practiced at Neurology & Pain Center, PLLC was sentenced to prison for illegal distribution of controlled substances that were not for legitimate medical purposes, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Muhammed Samer Nasher-Alneam, 48, was sentenced to 63 months in prison for writing prescriptions in July 2014 for met  more

CULLOWHEE, North Carolina, July 2 -- Western Carolina University issued the following news release: In conjunction with an international effort, the Highlands Biological Station has initiated a bird banding project in the high-elevation mountain community. At Western Carolina University's research and learning facility in Macon County, staff described how monitoring bird populations is important for several reasons, including educational opportunities for volunteers and visitors. "Bird popula  more