Public News Service

Solar panels on the roof of Lifeline Church of God in Princeton, W.Va. (Resource Rural)

Federal funding reduces barriers to solar for WV schools, churches

Wayne County Schools and a church in Princeton have installed solar panels with help from the Inflation Reduction Act, local grants and solar …

From 2011 to mid-2020, 95 gigawatts of coal capacity was closed or switched to another fuel and another 25 gigawatts is slated to shut down by 2025, according to federal data. (Adobe Stock)

West Virginia’s PSC faces lawsuit over coal-plant directive

The Public Service Commission of West Virginia is facing legal challenges for its 2021 directive that Appalachian Power increase the usage of three of…

According to a June 2024 survey from The Pew Research Center, 33% of Americans think installing a solar panel farm in their community would help their local economy, while just 7% think it would hurt it. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV green lights solar plant construction, advocates rally against rising utility bills

Residents in Nicholas and Clay counties could soon receive their electricity from a local solar plant, estimated to power around 90,000 homes in the …

From Appalachia to the Bayou to the desert Southwest, folklorists say culture can teach us about adapting to a warmer world. (Adobe Stock)<br />

As climate change fractures communities, folklorists help stitch them back together

By Katie Myers for Grist.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News…

A more diversified economy, including solar energy, is stopping the

putting people in West Virginia to work through paid on-the-job training. (Adobe Stock)">

Reimagining WV coal country by building on state’s legacy as an energy provider

By Ramona Schindelheim for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service reporting for the WorkingNation-Public New…

The New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia. In 2023, the U.S. Forest Service and AmeriCorps signed a five-year agreement to establish the Forest Corps, to create job opportunities that reduce wildfire risk, support reforestation and make national forests and grasslands healthier and more resilient. (Adobe Stock)

American Climate Corps: Building more climate-resilient WV communities

A Biden administration program, the American Climate Corps, aims to hire and train 20,000 people in conservation, climate and clean energy jobs…

Federal data show millions of people live in counties lacking adequate air monitoring, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV bill threatens community air monitoring efforts

After West Virginia House lawmakers advanced a bill to ban residents from using citizen air monitoring data in lawsuits, community groups said they …

Nationwide, in the second quarter of 2022, residential solar set its fifth consecutive quarterly growth record, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. (Adobe Stock)

Pressure mounts on WV’s utility regulator to preserve solar net-metering

Residents and advocacy groups will rally in Charleston this Saturday to protect net-metering for solar customers. Two of West Virginia's major …

Appalachia is home to 26.3 million people and covers 206,000 square miles, encompassing 423 counties in 13 states, according to the Appalachian Regional Commission. (Adobe Stock)

Clean-energy sector manufacturing may jumpstart West Virginia’s economy

Manufacturers in West Virginia employ around 7% of the state's workforce, and advocates say the state's Appalachian region could bolster its economy …

Nationwide, experts say aging fossil-fuel-based energy infrastructure isn't designed to withstand the extreme weather conditions driven by climate change over the next decade. (Adobe Stock)<br />

West Virginians Could Face Higher Energy Bills Under Proposed Rate Hike

West Virginia residents' electricity rates have nearly doubled over the past decade - and may soon climb higher, under a nearly $650 million rate …

Cumulative community solar capacity has grown by about 121% year over year since 2010, more than doubling in capacity on average, according to research from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. (Adobe Stock)<br />

As Utility Cost Burden Increases, WV Counties Look to Community Solar

Interest in community solar is on the rise, as a greater share of West Virginians' household incomes go toward utility bills. Federal data show …

A new study reveals extent of the public health harms of U.S. oil and gas production, including more than $77 billion in human health damages nationwide. (Adobe Stock)

WV Among Top States for Public Health Harms from Fossil Fuels

Ozone, fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide from the oil and gas sector in 2016 caused more than $77 billion in human health damages …

Community solar projects can make solar energy accessible to residents who may not be able to install solar panels on their own home, according to the National Association of Home Builders. (Adobe Stock)<br />

In WV, Community Solar Gains Popularity Amid Rising Utility Bills

Amid rising energy costs and inflation, energy advocates said they have seen a jump in interest in community solar. Luanne McGovern, legislative …

Nearly a quarter of coal-fired power plants in the U.S. are expected to retire by 2029, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. (Adobe Stock)

Aging WV Power Plant Slated to Close, Utilities Propose Keeping It Open

An aging power plant in Belmont, West Virginia is slated to shut its doors this year. But two utilities, Monongahela Power Company and Potomac Edison…

Blue hydrogen is produced mainly from natural gas, using a process called steam reforming, which brings together natural gas and heated water in the form of steam, and releases carbon dioxide as a byproduct, according to the National Grid Group.(Adobe Stock)

WV Ratepayers Could Foot the Bill for Proposed 'Blue' Hydrogen Hub

The federal government is on the verge of announcing which states will receive $2 billion to create "blue" hydrogen hubs, and West Virginia, along …

The U.S. oil and gas industry emits 16 million metric tons of methane annually, which has the same near-term climate impact as 350 coal-fired power plants, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. (Adobe Stock)

New EPA Rules Would Target Flaring at WV’s Oil, Gas Wells

Under proposed rules from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, oil and gas well operations across the nation would be required to strengthen …

Inflation Reduction Act includes tax credits, loan guarantees and other incentives to encourage the implementation of carbon-capture technology. (Adobe Stock)">

Critics: WV Carbon Capture Hub a Boondoggle, Empty Promises

President Joe Biden's infrastructure law contains $10 billion to sow the seeds for the creation of pipelines to capture, transport and store carbon …

More than 144,000 oil and gas wells are located in West Virginia, according to the American Geological Sciences Institute. (Adobe Stock)

Spotlight on Manchin as EPA Boosts Methane Rules

The Environmental Protection Agency said it plans to tighten up proposed rules aimed at curbing methane emissions from oil and gas wells, the largest …

In order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, utilities must transition to at least 80 percent clean energy by 2030, according to a Sierra Club report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: WV Utility Continues to Push Coal, Despite Climate, Ratepayer Costs

West Virginia utilities are delaying actions which could help put the brakes on climate change and ease the burden of rising fuel costs on ratepayers…

West Virginia has the potential to create more than 1,000 solar energy jobs, and nearly 3,000 energy efficiency jobs by 2030 and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, according to data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. (Adobe Stock)

Inflation Reduction Act: A Pathway to Transition WV from Coal

West Virginia residents stand to gain from the tax credits through the Inflation Reduction Act. The legislation, supported by Sen. Joe Manchin…

Research shows just 5% of power plants are responsible for 73% of the planet's emissions of carbon dioxide. (Adobe stock)<br />

Experts: Incentives for Renewables Even More Critical

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey was at the center of the Supreme Court's recent decision to curb the ability of the Environmental Prot…

National Guard members help with debris removal and cleanup after 2018 floods in Wheeling, W.Va. An increase in severe weather events is one consequence of a warming climate. (U.S. Air National Guard/Caleb Vance/Flickr)

WV Faith Leaders Voice Support for Climate Solutions

Faith leaders and environmental groups want West Virginia to implement policies aimed at cutting carbon emissions and slowing the pace of climate chan…

The West Virginia Flood Tool is designed to provide floodplain managers, insurance agents, developers, real estate agents, local planners and citizens with an effective means by which to make informed decisions about the degree of flood risk for a specific area or property. (Adobe Stock)

WV Has 'One Chance' To Improve Flood Preparedness

The mayor of Huntington, where more than 200 homes were recently damaged by severe flooding, said now is the state's "one chance" to prevent other …

A court has ruled the Mountain Valley Pipeline can change its crossing method for around 180 bodies of water and wetlands, and dig tunnels under, rather than through, them. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Routing MV Pipeline Under Streams, Wetlands Called Habitat Risk

Mountain Valley Pipeline developers are now allowed to dig tunnels below streams and wetlands, and environmental groups say they are concerned about …

Fort Martin is a coal-powered electric power station outside Morgantown. In 2020, West Virginia was the second-largest coal producer in the nation, after Wyoming, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. (Adobe Stock)

Manchin Rails Against Inflation, Continues to Push Fossil Fuels

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., railed this week against rising inflation, and is pushing for the use of fossil fuels to combat rising gas and energy …

Use of solar and wind power has grown at a rapid rate over the past decade or so, but as of 2018 those sources still account for around 4% of all the energy used in the United States, according to research from the Pew Charitable Trusts. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: Ukraine Crisis a Reminder to Break Dependence on Fossil Fuels

As the crisis in Ukraine continues, experts argued investments in clean energy will lower costs for Americans and reduce dependence on foreign oil …

A 2021 study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters found pollution from tailpipe emissions in the northeastern U.S. is carried across state lines and can affect the health of people living in downwind states. (Adobe Stock)<br />

EPA Could Restore States’ Authority to Regulate Tailpipe Emissions

States will soon be able to set their own tailpipe-emissions limits stricter than the federal government's, thanks to an expected rollback of a Trump-…

Despite a drop in global carbon emissions in 2020 due to the pandemic, worldwide CO2 emissions are estimated to be around 34 billion tons. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Putting Price on Carbon Could Benefit West Virginians

Tax credits and direct payments to companies that capture and store their carbon emissions underground are a key feature of the climate provisions out…

There are hundreds of natural-gas processing facilities in the nation, and more than half of these plants would meet the Toxics Release Inventory's chemical reporting thresholds for 21 different toxic chemicals, according to the EPA. (Adobe Stock)

New EPA Rules: Natural-Gas Facilities to Show Air-Pollution Data

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Natural-gas processing plants in West Virginia and around the country will soon have to start publicly reporting the chemicals …

Cutting greenhouse-gas emissions as part of an effort to slow climate change also reduces air pollutants, such as fine particulate matter, that harm human health, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Advocates: Build Back Better Act’s Tax Credits Will Benefit WV Families

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Experts say the consumer rebates outlined in President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act will help families save money as they …

A mobile billboard is crisscrossing West Virginia to encourage Sen. Joe Manchin's support of President Joe Biden's

'Build Back Better' Plan Gets Mobile Billboard in WV

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - You may spot a mobile billboard on your travels in West Virginia, and its creators hope the signage reminds people of how they …

The highest concentration of community risk for flooding related to climate change is in Louisiana, Florida, Kentucky and West Virginia, according to a report by the First Street Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

WV Holds Climate Rally as Congress Inches Toward 'Build Back Better' Deal

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- This weekend, environmental groups host a "Halloween Rally for Climate Action" in downtown Charleston, featuring leading climate …

West Virginia mom Lucia Valentine wants lawmakers in Congress to support investments in clean energy infrastructure. (Photo courtesy of Valentine)

WV Moms Call on Manchin to Support Biden’s Climate Plan

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Some West Virginia families are calling on Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to support President Joe Biden's climate action plan…

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., shown with Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, is a key swing vote on Biden's spending plan. (Wikimedia Commons)

Experts: Natural Gas Could Derail Biden’s Climate Action Plan

By Drew Shindell for The Conversation.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service The U.S. and European Union are working on …

Mining employment has risen by 55,000 since a trough in August 2020 but is 96,000 below a peak in January 2019, according to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.(Adobe Stock)

Creating a Future for Coal-Industry Workers in Clean-Energy Economy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As lawmakers consider a $3.5 trillion-dollar budget resolution with historic investments to address climate change and spearhead …

From 1995 to 2010, West Virginia faced 75 Federal Emergency Management Agency-declared disasters, with at least one disaster occurring in all 55 counties. (Adobe Stock)

WV Groups Gather to Discuss Climate Change Risks, Strategies

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The West Virginia Climate Alliance, a new coalition of 20 state and local organizations, hosts a virtual forum tonight to …

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm addresses reporters at the White House earlier this year. (Cameron Smith/Wikimedia Commons)

Energy Secretary Tours West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Clean-energy supporters say U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm's visit to the state on Friday signals the administration's …

Clean-energy experts say West Virginia needs help transforming its 91% coal-fired energy supply to renewables. (Adobe stock)

Federal Jobs Funding Could Propel WV Shift Away from Coal

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia clean-energy supporters say President Joe Biden's climate-action goals and jobs plan give the state a unique …

West Virginia could gain more than 1,100 jobs if the state shifts from coal power to renewable energy by 2035, according to a new report. (Adobe stock)

Report: WV Shift to Renewable Energy Could Lower Bills, Boost Economy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- With more coal plants idling or shutting down during the pandemic, a new report makes the case for boosting West Virginia's …

From 2016 to 2019, more than 200,000 clean-energy jobs were created and the sector was projected to add another 71,000 in 2020 until the pandemic hit. (Adobe stock)

Report: Clean-Energy Jobs Plummet During Pandemic

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The nation's clean-energy industry has been hit hard by the pandemic's economic downturn, and a new report urges policymakers to …

The candy darter is one endangered fish species that conservation groups want to protect from the effects of pipeline construction in Virginia and West Virginia. (Native Fish Coalition)<br /><br />

WV Groups Laud Court "Freeze" on Pipeline Construction

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Conservation groups are applauding a federal court ruling that blocks permit approval to construct the Mountain Valley Pipeline …

West Virginia National Guard members remove debris after a 2019 flood in Harman. Damaging floods have increased in the state along with the climate crisis. (U.S. National Guard)

Senate Report Calls for Natural Solutions to Battle Climate Change

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- With wildfires out West and a hurricane fueled by high water temperatures in the South, Senate Democrats have released a new …

A West Virginia Senate bill aims to let power companies offer regulated solar energy to businesses and households, in a state that currently offers no solar power. (SolarWorld)

Groups See WV Solar Bill as a ‘Step Forward’

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A bill that passed unanimously in the West Virginia Senate is being seen by environmental groups as an important step toward …

Falling solar-panel prices have made renewable energy increasingly reasonable for businesses such as the Twin Spruce Marina in Morgantown. (Twin Spruce Marina)

Solar Tour Highlights Potential for West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – This weekend, tours of West Virginia solar sites helped illuminate how sunlight might make more electricity here, and help …

W. Va. House Speaker Roger Hanshaw has a degree in chemistry, but makes his living as an attorney for natural-gas companies. (W. Va. Legislature)

Hanshaw Discusses Climate Change, But Won’t Call It By Name

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – In an unprecedented statewide video conference on Tuesday, West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Roger Hanshaw took …

In most states, school districts where families are primarily poor or minority populations tend to have less money to spend on infrastructure. (Giovannacco/Pixabay)

UCLA Study: Climate Change Overheats Classrooms, Slowing Learning

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Climate change is overheating classrooms and in the process, hurting education, especially for poor and minority students…

Climate change may impact the frequency and severity of future hurricanes, and a new poll reveals most registered voters believe climate change is an emergency. (Pixabay)

How Americans See Climate Crisis Differs By Party

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Hurricane Dorian, which lashed the East Coast last week, as well as massive fires still raging in the Amazon rainforest are …

The Mountain Valley Pipeline is being built on slopes so steep that trucks carrying pipe sections sometimes have to be pulled up by bulldozers. (Alan Moore/Virginians Against Pipelines/Facebook)

MVP Critics Request Stay, Citing Endangered Species Act

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Conservation groups want a federal court to halt the troubled Mountain Valley Pipeline, saying it harms rare species of …

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WV: Climate Change