Appalachian Hurricane Flooding Intensified by Climate Change
We have all seen the news coverage of the horrific flooding caused by Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina, a small city often touted as protected from the effects of climate change. The truth is that Appalachia, including West Virginia,…
A Longer Mosquito Season This Fall Thanks to Climate Change
The worst time for mosquitos is usually late August and early September. But the longer it stays warm in the Fall, the longer mosquitos hang around. They aren’t usually killed off until the first frost, which comes later now in West Virginia…
How West Virginia Electric Utilities Stack Up
West Virginia is served by a small number of electric utilities, all of which are regulated by the Public Service Commission. Appalachian Power provides service generally in the southern half of the state. First Energy Corporation operates in…
How to Talk With a Conservative About Climate Change
We all know them. They are in our families and at our workplaces. They are the people who deny that climate change is manmade, or who claim that some scientist has proved it’s all a hoax. Sometimes it’s a matter of choosing teams. Concern…
Fall Wildfire Season Poses Risks for West Virginia
According to the West Virginia Division of Forestry, forests cover 78.5% of the land in the state – making us the third most heavily forested state in the nation. This natural blessing filters water, provides wildlife habitat, and provides…
Governor Justice Declares Drought State of Emergency in All 55 West Virginia Counties
Gov. Jim Justice has declared a State of Emergency for all 55 counties due to a prolonged shortage of rainfall that has caused dangerous drought conditions. The US Department of Agriculture issued the chart below, showing the drought conditions…
Another Climate Change Risk – Lyme Disease
We’ve always had ticks in West Virginia. But maybe you’ve noticed they’re worse now. You aren’t imagining it. There are more ticks these days and they are showing up earlier in the spring and dying off later in the fall. The culprit?…
Climate Change Has Made This Extreme Heat Four Times More Likely
Everyone has noticed. Extreme heat has become more frequent and more widespread than in the past. Is it just a temporary natural fluke that will be corrected when we return to the mean temperatures experienced in the last fifty years? Absolutely…
Nature-Based Flood Resiliency Can Safeguard West Virginia’s Future
Nearly all states have disaster recovery plans, and these typically include flood disaster recovery. Recovery is a different concept than resiliency, which is designed to harden communities and infrastructure against future harm. West Virginia…
West Virginia Flooding – The Present Danger
If your neighbor says he’s not worried about climate change because West Virginia isn’t on the Atlantic coast, he hasn’t been keeping up with the news. Coastal flooding isn’t the issue. The real issue is flash flooding from our creeks…
