A Closer Look at Strip-Mining Health Science

On this West Virginia Morning, Ohio Valley residents have been asking government agencies for more than a decade to respond to science that links coal mining to health problems in nearby communities.

Last year, the National Academy of Sciences launched a study on the issue. But the Trump administration has stopped it. Glynis Board reports on what that means for coal communities and the scientists studying them.

We also hear from Inside Appalachia’s Jessica Lilly and Roxy Todd, who explore some of the little-known hidden gems found in West Virginia’s forests. One of those hidden gems is a species of rare orchids that was discovered here.  A few years ago, two orchid enthusiasts found a rare, and previously undiscovered species, known as Shriver’s Purple Frilly Orchid. Roxy Todd traveled with them along the Highland Scenic Highway in Pocahontas County, to have a look at one of the mountain state’s little known botanical treasures.