RICHMOND, Virginia, March 30 (TNSgov) -- Appalachian Voices issued the following news release on March 29, 2023: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled that federal circuit courts do have authority to review state Clean Water Act section 401 certificates, but upheld Virginia's grant of the section 401 certificate that the fracked gas Mountain Valley Pipeline needs to proceed with instream construction activities in Virginia water bodies. In its arguments, Virginia's Department of E  more

BINGHAMTON, New York, March 30 (TNSres) -- Binghamton University issued the following news: * * * Transdisciplinary seminar series to bring together scholars from around the globe * * * Injustice doesn't just shape human communities, but ecosystems and even landscapes. Repairing both is the topic of a transdisciplinary seminar series this spring that focuses on activist and scholarly work. Called "Landscapes of Injustice, Landscapes of Repair," the series is sponsored by Binghamton Universi  more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47002) on March 24, 2023, entitled "Federal Public Transportation Program: In Brief" by transportation policy specialist William J. Mallett. Here are excerpts: * * * Contents Introduction ... 1 What Is Public Transportation? ... 1 Funding the Federal Transportation Program ... 2 How Federal Dollars Are Distributed and Spent ... 4 Federal Public Transportation Programs ... 6 Urbanized Area F  more

EMORY, Virginia, March 28 (TNSres) -- Emory and Henry College issued the following news on March 27, 2023: * * * Members of the Board of Trustees at Emory & Henry College reviewed and approved the new 2023-2026 strategic plan "Elevate in Excellence", at its March 25, 2023, meeting that included a status change to move from a college to a private regional comprehensive university to be fully implemented as Emory & Henry University by Fall 2024. * * * Over the past decade, Emory & Henry (E&H)   more

WASHINGTON, March 30 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) are announcing the winners of the 2023 ENERGY STAR Awards. These 220 organizations, which represent the top ENERGY STAR partners, are making significant contributions in support of the clean energy transition. They come from 37 states and multiple economic sectors, including Fortune 500 companies, schools, retailers, man  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, March 31 (TNSper) -- East Tennessee State University issued the following news: East Tennessee State University has named Dr. John Nelson director of the Appalachian Highlands Center for Nursing Advancement. The Appalachian Highlands Center for Nursing Advancement was founded in 2021 in partnership with Ballad Health to strengthen the nursing pipeline in the region by increasing opportunities for students and better supporting current nurses. "Dr. Nelson brings a weal  more

WASHINGTON, March 28 -- Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: The House Energy and Commerce Committee last week advanced 19 solutions during a full committee markup. Below are excerpts from Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers' (R-WA) remarks delivered during the markup. Chair Rodgers on Cybersecurity Legislation: "We must make sure our laws keep pace with advancements in technology and allow innovation and en  more

BOULDER, Colorado, March 29 (TNSjou) -- The Geological Society of America issued the following news release on March 28, 2023: GSA's dynamic online journal, Geosphere, posts articles online regularly. Topics this month include the Colorado River extensional corridor; the central Azores volcanic islands; the Belvidere Mountain Complex, northern Appalachians; and Cretaceous seamount chains near the northwestern Hawaiian Ridge. You can find these articles at https://geosphere.geoscienceworld.org/  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, March 29 -- Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Virginia, issued the following news release: Governor Glenn Youngkin signed 738 bills into law, offered substantive and technical amendments to 78 bills, and vetoed three bills, taking action on a total of 819 bills sent to his desk during the 2023 General Assembly Session. "At the conclusion of the Session, I was honored to sign key pieces of bipartisan legislation that bolster law enforcement, cut red tape, make Virginia more competitive  more

WASHINGTON, March 28 -- Sen. Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced a bipartisan resolution designating April 2023 as "National Native Plant Month" and recognizing the importance of native plants to environmental conservation and restoration, as well as in supporting a diversity of wildlife. "There are thousands of native plant species in the U.S. and Hawaii is home to over 40 percent of our country's   more

WASHINGTON, April 1 -- Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, issued the following news release on March 31, 2023: Representatives Bill Johnson (OH-06) and Emilia Strong Sykes (OH-13) held a press conference on the Reducing Accidents in Locomotives (RAIL) Act. Reps. Johnson and Sykes were joined by both Republican and Democratic members of the Ohio Congressional delegation to show united support for passing commonsense, effective rail safety legislation. Rep. Bill Johnson released the following statement a  more

WASHINGTON, March 29 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, issued the following news release on March 28, 2023: U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $1,072,505 from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for 13 West Virginia projects. The funding will support increasing staffing and strengthening administrative capacities for eleven Local Development Districts (LDDs) and two non-profit organizations across the state. "The Appalachian Regi  more

WASHINGTON, March 28 -- Sen. Mike Braun, R-Indiana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mike Braun and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) introduced a bipartisan resolution designating April 2023 as "National Native Plant Month" and recognizing the importance of native plants to environmental conservation and restoration, as well as in supporting a diversity of wildlife. "As a lifelong outdoorsman, I know that native plants are key to the conservation of our environment and the preservation o  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, March 31 (TNSgov) -- The Sierra Club issued the following news release on March 29, 2023: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled that federal circuit courts do have authority to review state Clean Water Act section 401 certificates, but upheld Virginia's grant of the section 401 certificate that the fracked gas Mountain Valley Pipeline needs to proceed with instream construction activities in Virginia water bodies. In its arguments, Virginia's Department of Envi  more

CHITTENDEN, Vermont, March 30 (TNSgov) -- The Trust for Public Land issued the following news release on March 29, 2023: Trust for Public Land announced today the transfer of Rolston Rest, the largest private unprotected inholding remaining in Vermont's Green Mountain National Forest, to the U.S. Forest Service for permanent protection. Adding the property to the Green Mountain National Forest will shield the land from the threat of development and forever guarantee public access. Encompassing  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, March 30 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee issued the following news release: A former Clay County, Tennessee physician was found guilty yesterday of 45 counts of violations relating to the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), health care fraud, and obstruction of justice, announced acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski. A federal jury began deliberating Friday and returned the verdict yesterday against Gilbert Ross Ghearing 69, of Cro  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, March 30 (TNSpar) -- The University of Tennessee Health Science Center issued the following news: The College of Dentistry at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, in collaboration with the Tennessee Department of Health, is undertaking a $53 million project over the next five years to increase access to dentists and dental care across Tennessee, with a focus on the rural areas with the most need. Funded by the state and called the Healthy Smiles Initiative, t  more

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, March 29 (TNSrpt) -- The University of Virginia's School of Law issued the following news: Growing up in Alexandria, Virginia, Antonella Nicholas '23 was worlds away from rural areas of the state. That's part of why the University of Virginia School of Law student was struck by the educational and social inequities she has catalogued around the state in her work with Professor Andrew Block. The two recently teamed up to write a paper on how to address those challenges  more

STARKVILLE, Mississippi, March 30 (TNSper) -- The Mississippi State University issued the following news: Mississippi State Professor Robert M. West has been named head of the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures after serving as the interim head since July 2021. West will become the CMLL department head effective, July 1. He has been a faculty member in the English department since 2002 and was a key part of the 2019 installation of MSU's Phi Beta Kappa chapter, the ol  more

CULLOWHEE, North Carolina, March 28 (TNSper) -- Western Carolina University issued the following news release: On March 1, Western Carolina University named Amber Clawson Albert as the new director of the Mountain Heritage Center following the retirement of Pam Meister in December 2022. Albert brings a wealth of experience as a public historian and preservationist to this role, as well as the following academic credentials: a doctorate in public history from Middle Tennessee State University,  more

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia, March 29 (TNSres) -- West Virginia University issued the following news: Over the next three years, researchers with the West Virginia University Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines and Emissions will try to gain a robust understanding of where and why leaks of methane and other gases happen and their effects on local air quality and global climate. With the support of $5.5 million in U.S. Department of Energy funding, the project, led by Derek Johnson, associate   more