Pa. Chemical Tank Laws Tougher Than W.Va., Ky. Community Promised Better Housing, and more

Pennsylvania is comparing regulations for above ground storage tanks after the spill in West Virginia.

While some residents in a Kentucky community are using unique strategies to oppose a strip mine, others are looking forward to the mine opening.

One school in West Virginia is working to meet the needs of all deaf and blind students.

Will More Regulations Prevent Another Chemical Spill in W.Va.?:  An environmental consulting group is criticizing proposed laws saying new regulations are just the first step to prevent another spill. West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Ben Adduccio reports.

Pa. Chemical Tank Laws Tougher Than West Virginia: The chemical leak at Freedom Industries that left 300,000 people without water in West Virginia brings up questions in other states, like Pennsylvania, about the possibility of other water contamination catastrophes. There have been spills into Pennsylvania waterways before, and regulators say those incidents have led to more strict state laws. The Allegheny Front‘s Julie Grant reports that regulators say a spill is less likely in Pennsylvania than in West Virginia and that if one occurs, they could respond quickly.

About Chemical Valley: As West Virginians and people throughout the region struggle to make sense of the current chemical spill and resulting water crisis, for many it brings back not so distant memories of the events that unfolded in Kanawha Valley, after the catastrophic Union Carbide leak in Bhopal India.  The following piece is a radio adaption of Appalshop’s film Chemical Valley.  Filmmaker Mimi Pickering brings us this report.  

Ky. Community Fights Strip Mine with Unique Strategy: A court decision that’s expected later this year could decide the fate of a proposed Western Kentucky surface coal mine. For the past two years, residents and environmental groups have been campaigning against the mine, arguing it will irreparably damage the environment and erode nearby residents’ quality of life. And as Kentucky Public Radio’s Erica Peterson reports, they’re using a unique, and unexpected, tool to fight the mine. 

Why Did these Ky. Residents Agree to Have their Homes Demolished?: One of Lexington Kentucky’s poorest communities is waiting for a newly developed neighborhood.   Many homes were demolished to make room for a new road way…in return residents were promised better housing and a restored community.  However, tired of waiting, many residents have moved on.  Kentucky Public Radio’s Stu Johnson explores the project’s impact on the community of Davis Bottom…    

Trompe a ‘Super Charger” for AMD Cleanup: Pennsylvania has more than 5,500 miles of streams and rivers polluted with acid mine drainage. That’s when water flows through an old coal mine, picks up heavy metals, and turns a rusty-orange color. Thousands of passive treatment systems around the state use the natural environment to clean the water. Before passing, the late hydro-geologist Bruce Leavitt introduced a new twist to passive systems that’s expected to help cleanup up the state’s waterways. We hear again from the Allegheny Front’s Julie Grant and her trip with Leavitt this fall.

Deaf, Blind Schools Offer Program to Students Across W.Va.: A new program at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind in Romney is making it possible for students from across the state to take advantage of specialized instruction that’s available there. Cecelia Mason of West Virginia Public Broadcasting has more.

Water, Water Everywhere: Essayist Cat Pleska reflects on the water supplies of the globe.