Not Another Power Plant in CT ... or ... WV ...!

>> From an Article by Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette Mail, October 22, 2921

Feedback was divided between welcoming potential economic benefits and decrying feared environmental perils at a public comment meeting on a proposed air quality permit for a natural gas-fired power plant in Monongalia County.

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection held the meeting virtually Tuesday evening on the permit requested by Longview Power’s Mountain State Clean Energy LLC for the facility planned to be located immediately north of the Longview coal-fired plant in Maidsville.

The project is slated to be a gas-fired, combined-cycle plant that will supply electricity to the power grid, linking to it via an interconnection used by the coal-fired plant. The West Virginia Division of Air Quality’s preliminary evaluation found that the project as proposed will meet all applicable state rules and federal regulations, prompting the division’s preliminary determination to approve the air quality application.

Area union officials pushed state environmental regulators to keep leaning in that direction. They argue that constructing the plant would create critical jobs for their members. “[T]he job opportunities [are] huge. I would like to add that the jobs created will be good-paying jobs, with important retirement and health care benefits,” said Natalie Stone, representative of the Morgantown-based North Central West Virginia Building Trades Council.

The proposed gas-fired plant is projected to emit 5.13 million tons of greenhouse gases, 321 tons of nitrogen oxide, 276 tons of carbon monoxide and 210 tons of particulate matter per year, according to a permit application prepared for the DEP by Ambient Air Quality Services Inc., a Pennsylvania-based air quality consulting firm.

Opponents of the project objected to what they said were troubling discrepancies and inadequate air quality protection measures in the proposed permit as well as the project’s proposed greenhouse climate emissions that would contribute to the climate crisis.

The International Energy Agency, an intergovernmental organization consisting of 30 member countries, said in May that investors should not fund any new coal, oil or natural gas projects if the world is to reach net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.

Earth must meet the mid-century deadline to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius and avert the worst effects of climate change, the agency reiterated in a road map for the global energy sector that included the new recommendation to end all new fossil fuel projects.

James Kotcon, chairman of the West Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club’s conservation committee, observed that a draft permit for the facility lists the facility’s total electrical generating capacity as 1,300 megawatts, while a DEP preliminary determination and fact sheet for the facility notes that the facility’s electricity generation capability is 1,200 megawatts.

DEP spokesman Terry Fletcher indicated after the meeting that the figure was an approximate value, adding that the output will vary based on power efficiencies and operating conditions. A PowerPoint presentation that Division of Air Quality engineer Edward Andrews showed describing the project indicated that the plant would be a 1,200-megawatt facility.

Area resident Duane Nichols argued that it would be environmentally unjust for the plant to be located near West Virginia University medical facilities, health centers and other sites of importance. Two facilities Nichols mentioned, the WVU Eye Institute and Mountaineer Field, are roughly 10 miles away from the proposed facility location. “You can’t find a worse location in the entire state of West Virginia,” Nichols contended.

Those anticipated emission levels are all well above federal significance levels, subjecting the plant to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Prevention of Significant Deterioration regulations. That designation requires installation of emissions-limitation technology, air quality analysis, an additional impacts analysis assessing the effects of air, ground and water pollution, as well as public comment on permits and citizen enforcement actions against sources not complying with their permits.

Project opponents questioned the “clean energy” part of Mountain State Clean Energy’s name during the meeting. “When I see a company that calls themselves Mountain State Clean Energy and then ask for 5 million tons of greenhouse gas [emissions], who do they think they’re fooling?” Kotcon asked.

Mountain State Clean Energy will need to apply for a water pollution permit for the site or modify an existing one to include the new gas-fired turbine, Fletcher said.
Located 3,000 feet west of the Monongahela River, the site is slated to operate two pipeline-gas compressor units. The application indicates that no greenhouse gas emissions will be associated with starting up, shutting down or operating the units. The proposed start-up date for the facility is Jan. 1, 2025, according to the DEP.

Mountain State Clean Energy LLC formally changed its name from Longview Power II LLC in November of 2020. That name change came seven months after the West Virginia Public Service Commission issued a certificate to the company to construct and operate the gas-fired facility and a 70-megawatt utility-scale solar facility — 20 megawatts to be located in West Virginia and 50 megawatts in Pennsylvania. The commission also approved construction and installation of a 500-kilovolt electric transmission line extending approximately three quarters of a mile north from the gas-fired facility.

Longview Power II LLC and Longview Renewable Power LLC, a separate company granted the solar siting certificate that subsequently changed its name to Mountain State Renewables LLC, estimated that the cost to construct the gas-fired facility would be $1.1 billion, according to the Public Service Commission. The Monongalia County Commission approved a 30-year, $58 million payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement with the Longview parties in December 2020.

The Division of Air Quality will take public comments until Mon., Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. and subsequently take final action on the application. Written comments may be emailed to Edward.S.Andrews@wv.gov, with “Mountain State Clean Energy Comments” in the subject line, or mailed to Edward Andrews, WV Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Air Quality, 601 57th Street, SE, Charleston, WV 25304.

Additional information on the project proposal can be found at https://dep.wv.gov/daq/permitting/Pages/NSR-Permit-Applications.aspx

Planting trees near Wheeling’s Heritage Trail, learn about tree identification & management

Article by Maureen Zambito, West Liberty University, April 21, 2021

WEST LIBERTY, WV — Just in time for Earth Day, West Liberty University (WLU) students in Professor James Wood’s biology and ecology classes are planting trees in Wheeling’s public spaces and on campus.

Last Saturday students planted two types of native flowering trees along a portion of the Heritage Trail along the Ohio River, near WesBanco Arena. The purchase of the trees was made possible thanks to a grant obtained by West Virginia University Agricultural Extension Agent and Wheeling resident Karen Cox.

“These trees will add beauty to this public green space in the city, supporting birds and other pollinators while also providing shade for trail users in the height of summer heat,” said Wood. “Adding trees along the trail make it better for everyone.”

New signs here

But the students’ work wasn’t done just yet. On Sunday these students partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in addition to WVU Extension, to work on the National Wildlife Refuge at the northern tip of Wheeling Island.

PHOTO — New signage at the northern tip of Wheeling Island identifies the space as a National Wildlife Refuge, perfect for bird watchers.

“The Wildlife Refuge is a such a great resource for the public and for wildlife. It offers beautiful views of the river and is a great place to go bird watching close to downtown,” said Wood. “We are pleased to be a part of improving Wheeling’s public spaces.”

The outreach and service projects also provide WLU students with a hands-on look at careers in natural resources. Extension Agent Karen Cox and U.S. Fish and Wildlife representative Elian Barr spoke with students about working to protect and restore natural areas and educating the public about managing for endangered species and invasive exotic plants.

The students took time to clean up trash found in Wheeling Island’s Wildlife Refuge. “Our next project is closer to home, we’ll plant trees on campus near Campbell Hall,” said Wood.

“The goal is to increase educational opportunities on the WLU campus, while making the campus more visually attractive and promoting conservation. This round of tree planting will support the planting event last fall when over 40 native trees were planted by students during a service project.”

Dr. Wood is a faculty member in the biology department in the College of Sciences. Biology majors include Environmental Stewardship and Education; Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology and Zoo Science. Students also have the opportunity to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology + Master of Science Physician Assistant Studies degree through the 3+2 program.

>>>>>>>>……………………>>>>>>>>……………………>>>>>>>>

See also: The Trillion Trees bill was reintroduced in this Congress

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Bruce Westerman reintroduced his Trillion Trees legislation in the House yesterday afternoon with over 60 co-sponsors. The bill has provisions related to increasing carbon sequestration through reforestation, improved forest management and market incentives. Among other provisions, the bill removes the cap on the Reforestation Trust Fund to $180 million to help address the reforestation backlog on the NFS. It also has language standing up urban wood and biochar grant programs, as well as integrating carbon storage into FIA and encouraging the Forest Service to utilize advanced geospatial technologies in FIA. The section-by-section summary below is useful.

(a) Westerman Leads Bipartisan Introduction of The Trillion Trees Act | Congressman Bruce Westerman (house.gov)

(b) trillion_trees_act_-_one_pager.pdf (house.gov)

(c) trillion_trees_act_-_section-by-section.pdf (house.gov)

(d) Full Bill Text in US Congress

Bruce Mansfield coal-fired power plant in western Penna. was closed in November 2019

From an Article by Chrissy Suttles, Elwood City Ledger, July 21, 2020

Reimagine Appalachia on July 21st released a New Deal-style policy framework to expand economic opportunity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the region.

A collective of environmental and economic policy groups in the region want federal lawmakers to include Appalachia in the national recovery conversation.

Large, absentee corporations have drained wealth from Appalachia for decades, the groups argue, leading to abandoned reclamation, pollution and poverty — especially in already marginalized communities. As Congress further addresses economic fallout linked to COVID-19, the partnership wants a seat at the table.

Reimagine Appalachia, a coalition of organizations from Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky, released the New Deal-style policy framework to expand economic opportunity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Ohio River Valley.

The strategy was drafted by Policy Matters Ohio, a research institute, and its sister organizations in neighboring states, including the Keystone Research Center in Pennsylvania.

Their solution involves reviving federal recovery programs launched during the Great Depression and expanding transportation, clean manufacturing and broadband in rural areas.

By reviving the Civilian Conservation Corps, Americans could rebuild wetlands and reforest their land, authors said. Appalachia is rich in carbon-absorbing natural resources, and investment in “carbon farming” would help mitigate the effects of climate change.

“It’s important to understand we don’t have to eliminate every single carbon emission to achieve net-zero carbon. Trees absorb carbon,” said Amanda Woodrum, a senior researcher at Policy Matters Ohio. She said it’s likely national climate change legislation will come in the form of an economic stimulus package if trends continue.

Shuttered coal plants can be converted into eco-industrial parks that use circular manufacturing methods to turn a company’s waste into another’s raw material, too. Boilers and turbines can be re-purposed for combined heat and power to better meet the needs of manufacturers, and all orphaned oil and gas wells would be capped.

“Climate change is already causing damage in the Ohio River Valley,” authors wrote. “Severe storms have damaged our infrastructure and flooded our homes, communities and farms and made people sick.”

Publicly funded projects outlined in the strategy include upgrading the Rural Grid Modernization Program to give all Americans access to broadband internet. Similar to past initiatives, it could create tens of thousands of construction, maintenance and utility jobs.

Building an Appalachian rail corridor connecting rural areas to urban cores would provide a less-expensive form of transportation, according to the plan.

This would reduce the amount of money Appalachians spend on petroleum products imported from outside the region, the plan notes. Federal policymakers can further improve Appalachia’s transportation network by expanding public options and offer electric vehicle subsidies.

“The economy really does come down to people working, buying and selling stuff,” said Hannah Halbert, Policy Matters Ohio executive director. “People are the economy, and what’s good for people is good for the economy.”

Public construction projects would involve labor agreements, prevailing wages and apprentice-utilization requirements to ensure quality work under the blueprint, with a large share of apprentices coming from low-income, underrepresented communities.

Company leadership would have to honor workers’ freedom to unionize and ensure genuine opportunities for fossil fuel workers. Skilled laborers would not be asked to involuntarily relocate or retrain. “In fact, we need coal miners, plant workers and oil and gas to help us,” Woodrum said.

The coalition also demands public officials support those who contracted black lung disease and other chronic health problems while working in extraction industries. “These workers must be able to retire with dignity, with the health care they need as well as the retirement pensions they deserve,” authors said.

Average income in Appalachia has largely stagnated or declined in the past 40 years, according to Keystone Research Center executive director Stephen Herzenberg. In the four decades prior — from the late 1930s to the late 1970s — regional income tripled or quadrupled.

“The people of Appalachia have a great work ethic,” he said. “They expect to be paid fairly and to be protected and respected on the job. But for the past 40 years, almost none of the benefits of economic growth have been shared with working people in our region. Corporations and the politicians they control have held wages down.”

A copy of the full blueprint can be found at: reimagineappalachia.org.

Katharine Hayhoe has examined these issues in great detail

From an Article by Olivia Goldhill, Quartz Newsletter, September 18, 2019

Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe says her evangelical religion influences her approach to climate change. She is very concerned.

When evangelical environmentalists talk about climate change, they don’t stick to sea level rise projections and the carbon emissions associated with red meat. Kyle Meyaard-Schaap, national organizer and spokesperson at Young Evangelicals for Climate Action (YECA), also points to the psalms, and the Old and New Testaments.

These texts emphasize how God created and loves the Earth, and wants humans to love it too. So for Meyaard-Schaap, choosing to care for the planet—and fight climate change—is simply following his God’s wishes.

In the United States, evangelical Christians are not known for their environmental engagement. The group is “synonymous with resistance, if we’re honest,” says Meyaard-Schaap. Evangelicals are the religious group least likely to believe the Earth is warming due to human activity: 28%, compared to 50% of all US adults, according to a 2015 survey from Pew Research Center.

But in recent years, a few leaders have started connecting environmentalism with religion. They’re starting to find a receptive audience among evangelicals.

Katharine Hayhoe, a prominent climate change scientist and evangelical Christian, says her religion motivates her interest in climate change. She finds the concept of protecting God’s planet to be an effective framing when talking to religious groups. “As Christians, we believe that we have been given responsibility over every little thing on this planet,” she says, “and we believe we’re to care for people who are less fortunate than ourselves.”

Hayhoe first started talking about the importance of combating climate change from a religious perspective in 2008. That’s when she realized that audiences thought she cared about the environment simply because she was a scientist—and disengaged as a result. Since she shifted her approach, she says, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. “I can count on the fingers of my hands and maybe just a few extra toes the letters and emails and even nasty tweets I’ve gotten from atheists over the last decade,” she says. “On the other hand, I can count on my fingers and toes how many I get from people who call themselves Christians every week.”

Of course, not every evangelical Christian applies the loving-protection maxim to climate change. There are two types of evangelicals in the United States, says Hayhoe: political and theological. “For political evangelicals,” she says, “their statement of faith is written first by their political ideology and only a distant second by what the Bible says.” Evangelicals are more likely to be Republicans than Democrats, and their religious beliefs can be interpreted to support conservative views on climate change. “As a Christian, I believe that there is a creator in God who is much bigger than us,” Republican congressman Tim Walberg said in 2017. “And I’m confident that, if there’s a real problem, he can take care of it.”

But there are ways to communicate the importance of addressing climate change across the political spectrum, says Meyaard-Schaap. He says that, when talking to conservatives, YECA emphasizes the economic freedom that comes from not accessing energy through a regulated monopoly. Also a plus: the national security benefits of not being dependent on hostile foreign powers for oil. YECA members also highlight how climate action is a pro life issue, as burning fossil fuels contributes to low birth weight and preterm babies, and heavy metals emitted through the burning of coal cross the placenta and impede fetal development.

Amidst these messages, there are signs that evangelical engagement on climate change is shifting: A recent poll found that 40% of evangelical Christians support the Green New Deal. In July, YECA released a statement highlighting the “biblical principles” in the proposed legislation. “The Green New Deal shows clear concern for making sure that we have tangible ways of protecting the natural environment, caring for God’s creation,” says Meyaard-Schaap.

Hayhoe would like to see even more support from the evangelical community, though she doesn’t expect evangelicals to embrace environmental action en masse, as long as “political ideology continues to drive the belief system of those who identify as Christian.”

Meyaard-Schaap, meanwhile, sees a distinct generational divide. Millennials and Generation Z often already care about climate change, he says, and YECA focuses on training these young leaders to talk with their parents and pastors.

Although politics is a strong indication of belief in climate change, Meyaard-Schaap says YECA activists are motivated by religion rather than politics. “We come at this work not because we’re environmentalist, even though some of us identify that way, and not because we’re Democrats or Republican,” he says. “We come at this because we’re Christians and we believe that acting on climate change and calling the church to action and it’s just part of what it means to follow Jesus in the 21st century.”

>>> This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of more than 250 news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story.

#################################

Denominational Religious Statements on Climate Change

>>> Inter-Faith Power & Light Campaign Compilation

Most religious communities have released statements on “climate change” and the need to care for the earth and living things. The compiled list (organized alphabetically first by religion, then by denomination) demonstrates the unity within the religious community on these important issues.

################################

VIDEO: Burke Lecture: An Ecological Inquiry – Jesus and the Cosmos with Elizabeth Johnson – UCSD-TV – University of California Television, July 6, 2010

Prof. Elizabeth A. Johnson, a former president of both the Catholic Theological Society of America and the ecumenical American Theological Society, argues that interfaith dialogue has made clear that each religious tradition has its own distinctive contribution to make. In this Burke lecture, she explores one line of thinking peculiar to the Christian tradition, namely, the meaning of Jesus Christ. Her question is whether the central, organizing figure in Christian faith also has anything intrinsic to do with the natural world.

https://www.ucsd.tv/search-details.aspx?showID=18746

“it’s not easy being green”

From an Article by David Beard, Morgantown Dominion Post, January 6, 2020

MORGANTOWN — Some members of the green community assembled on the Courthouse Square Monday afternoon to protest the proposed construction of two new Longview Power plants – one gas-fired, one solar.

The Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition and the West Virginia Sierra Club chapter put on the press conference and timed it to precede a Public Service Commission public hearing on the proposed plants to be held inside the Courthouse.

Duane Nichols, with the Coalition, who lives in Stewartstown said the impacts of the current coal-fired Longview plant and its coal-fired neighbor, Fort Martin, can be seen for miles: The steam plumes block sunshine and affect the weather in that area.

And less than 40% of the fuel energy burned is converted to electrical energy generated, he said. The rest escapes as waste heat. Along with that, “the tonnage of carbon dioxide day after day is adding to that atmosphere.”

The daily truck traffic serving the plant, he said, also creates a nuisance for residents in the area of the plant, over 300 loaded coal trucks per day going up the long Ft. Martin hill.

Longview Power is negotiating a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement for the two plants with Monongalia County that would provide the county with about $58.2 million across 30 years. Jarryd Powell, with the Greater Morgantown Sunrise Movement, sited a report from the West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy to highlight what he sees as a flawed agreement.

The WVCBP report says that Mon County would be giving up about $217 million in additional property taxes from alternate, fully taxed uses of the property – which Longview owns.

Powell said, “These $217 million could address green energy investment, improved healthcare, education, infrastructure and many other important issues in Mon County. … This measure simply appears to be a private entity extorting Mon County residents over their rightful tax dollars and preying on our desperation for jobs.”

Jonah Kone, also with Sunrise, focused on the environmental impacts. “In 30 years, I would like to live and work on a healthy planet.”

Lira Reins, with the West Virginia healthy Kids and Families Coalition, said the PILOT will provide less value to the county that the current Longview and Fort Martin PILOTs. The new PILOT would from $1.5 million to $2.5 million per year, while the current Longview PILOT brings in about $3.5 million and Fort Martin about $3.4 million.

Jim Kotcon, Sierra Club conservation chair, said Longview II – the gas-fired plant — will emit 4 million tons of greenhouse gases per year “That’s 4 million tons that will continue to warm the climate.”

Also, he said, there’s no need for the electricity it will produce. “Our region is already dramatically oversupplied with electricity.” He cited testimony to that effect submitted to the PSC. “If demand is not going up and supply increases, somebody’s going away.” Other speakers suggested Fort Martin might be the plant that would fall victim.

##########################

See also: PILOT Agreements Cost State Millions in Tax Revenue: An In-Depth Look at Longview Power Plant, Ted Boettner, WV Center on Budget & Policy, October 15, 2019

Deckers Creek Trail should be protected from injection wells

From the Friends of Deckers Creek, Morgantown, WV, October 30, 2018

This is a follow up to our previous email regarding the permit renewal notice for an injection well in the watershed. Our request for a public hearing was granted.

The WVDEP Office of Oil and Gas will conduct a public hearing concerning the permit application for disposal well on Thursday November 8, 2018 at the Masontown Volunteer Fire Department located at 362 Main Street, Masontown, WV.

Representatives from the WVDEP will be there from 5 pm to 6 pm to answer any questions and will have maps and documents available for review. The public comment period will begin at 6 pm.

Please click here to see full letter regarding hearing.

The Friends of Deckers Creek (FODC) will be in attendance and plans to ask the questions brought forth in our public comment letter that can be viewed here. We invite members of the community to join us and ask any questions that you may have regarding the permit application.

Because this is a permit renewal application, our main goal is to get answers on the processes and procedures in place if a spill or leak were to occur onsite or in transportation. It is also to see if there are any upgrades to the site planned. The site has been running for several years with no issue or impact to the surrounding area that we are aware of. We want to ensure that that continues to be the case.

NOTE: 11/8/18, 5 PM, Masontown VFD, 362 Main Street, Masontown, WV

#######################

Informing Local Residents About the Ohio Valley PetroHub

From the Fresh Water Accountability Project (FWAP), October 31, 2018

FWAP holds meetings with local communities to alert those who will be most directly impacted about the downsides the industry does not want them to know

In the past few weeks, FWAP has been knocking on doors, phone banking, doing direct mailings, and holding public meetings in the area where PTT Global has proposed to build its petrochemical complex in Dilles Bottom, Belmont County, OH. We are doing our best to make sure the community that will be most directly impacted by the PTTG petrochemical complex is informed of the risks associated with the facility, the foreign companies that will profit at the expense of residents’ health, and the alternatives that can provide clean, good, steady jobs in the area.

Please join us for (and spread the word about) our upcoming community meetings:

Wednesday, November 7th, 6 – 8 pm
Shadyside Community Center, 50 East 39th St., Shadyside, OH 43947

Thursday, November 8th, 1 – 3 pm
Ohio County Library, 52 16th Street, Wheeling, WV 26003

Draft Air Permit Issued for Belmont Petrochemical Complex

On Friday, the Ohio EPA issued the draft air permit for the PTTG petrochemical complex. FWAP is currently reviewing the draft permit and will be submitting written comments and encourages everyone to do the same. To be considered as part of the official record, written comments must be received by Ohio EPA/Southeast District Office by 5pm on December 3, 2018. Comments can be mailed to Kimbra Reinbold, Ohio EPA, DAPC Southeast District Office (SEDO), 2195 East Front Street, Logan, Ohio, 43138. Comments can also be faxed to (740) 385-6490.

A hearing on the draft air permit will be held at 6 p.m., Tuesday, November 27, 2018, at Shadyside High School, 3890 Lincoln Ave., Shadyside, OH 43947. FreshWater will be in attendance and encourages everyone to show up for this important hearing!

FWAP has been and will continue to be aggressive in combatting all efforts to turn the Ohio River Valley into the next “cancer alley” through petrochemical development.

For more information on the petrochemical buildout proposed for the Ohio River Valley, check out this informative article by our friends at DeSmog Blog.

Virginia groups urge better air quality

From an Article by Prue Salasky, Virginia Daily Press, June 30, 2015

There are almost 700,000 asthmatics in Virginia and their health is directly tied to air quality, according to representatives of several state and national organizations committed to spreading the word about the link between climate change and public health.

In a follow-up to last week’s White House Summit on Climate Change and Health, representatives of the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic, the Allergy and Asthma Network, the College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and the Virginia Asthma Coalition joined forces in a webinar Tuesday to urge the public to “protect the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate air pollutants” and support the EPA’s Clean Power Plan.

Support for the regulations would prevent hundreds of premature deaths and thousands of asthma attacks in Virginia alone, they said. (Information on West Virginia is included at the end of this Article.)

According to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, speaking at the White House summit, the health effects of climate change disproportionately affect children, the poor and the elderly, and exacerbate disparities in health outcomes. Murthy himself lost an uncle to a severe asthma attack, he said.

“In Virginia, minorities and children are dying,” echoed Stuart Tousman, president of the Virginia Asthma Coalition, which was formed 10 years ago when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control recognized asthma as a public health issue and provided significant funding. Since then, he said, the money has dried up. Tousman urged its renewal for increasing education and awareness. “It made an impact on the numbers,” he added.

Kevin Stewart of the American Lung Association emphasized that air quality affects a large swath of the population, putting about half at increased risk for poor health. “The sensitive groups are not a small minority,” he said.

While Virginia had one of the best grades in the ALA’s annual “State of the Air” report, ozone levels in some counties still were in the F category, with air pollution dangerous for people’s health on many days, Stewart added.

The highest concentration of asthma cases are in Richmond, the Washington, D.C. suburbs, and in Hampton Roads, according to Tousman. Typically, asthma develops in childhood.

“The vast majority come from early environmental exposures that have a lifelong effect,” said James Sublett, president of the American College of Allergy. “Most have an underlying allergy that sets off the reaction,” he added.

Tonya Winders, of the Allergy and Asthma Network, said she has four children who suffer from respiratory illnesses. “We need to teach children at the youngest age about effects of climate change, engage school nurses and develop an early education curriculum about its impact on respiratory health,” she said.

Participants urged individuals to learn about the air quality index and what levels affect them adversely in order to adjust their activities accordingly. Also, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality issues a daily alert with details on particulates and ozone levels to those who sign up at deq.virginia.gov, said Jennifer Kaufer, coordinator of the Healthy Air Coalition of the lung association.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

West Virginia Air Quality Can Be Improved

The Annual Report of the American Lung Association indicates that most of the counties in WV have no air quality monitors. However, regarding Ozone Exposure, Monongalia County received a grade of B while a C grade applies to Cabell, Hancock, Ohio, and Wood counties, with a D for Kanawha County where there are significant amounts of traffic and chemical industry.

Of the 1,854,000 residents of WV, many are at risk of ozone and particulate exposure including 382,000 (20.6%) being under 18 years of age and 320,000 (17.3%) at 65 or older. There are an estimated 33,000 (1.8%) cases of pediatric asthma, 133,000 (7.2%) cases of adult asthma, 156,000 (8.4%) cases of COPD and 209,000 (11.3%) cases of cardio-vascular disease.

The rural residents of WV are at great risk of exposure to toxic chemicals from drilling and fracking and from the diesel exhausts of heavy truck usage due to the deep/narrow valleys throughout the State. Ultra-fine particle exposure has generally been ignored in the past but is now understood to be extremely dangerous to persons of all ages. Even wildlife will be affected by diesel exhausts and silica particulates.

See also: www.FrackCheckWV.net

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) announced the launch of a one-year ambient air monitoring project beginning on July 23, 2012 to study pollutants near permanent Marcellus gas facilities such as compressor stations and gas processing installations.  Canister samples will be tested for methane, ozone, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and particulate matter as well as an array of toxic compounds.

There was a spate of public attention this spring to the issue of illnesses experienced by southwestern PA shale-field residents and the reported failure of public agencies (Department of Health and DEP) to respond to complaints of headaches, nausea, vomiting, sore throats, nosebleeds, eye irritation and rashes associated with visible emissions and/or odors. Anecdotal reports such as the closure of the Cornerstone Care community clinic due to noxious fumes suspected to be related to nearby drilling fed the interest. An inquiry by the Associated Press revealed that the Pennsylvania Department of Health didn’t begin tracking health complaints possibly tied to drilling until 2011, and also noted that there were obstacles to filing an official complaint with the agency.  PennLive.com reported in April, 2012:

“The Pennsylvania Department of Health said this week that it has received fewer than 30 complaints over the last year from people who feel natural gas drilling has affected their health, but it’s not clear how many came before that. Last June the agency head suggested it had already received several dozen.”

That article further noted that the health agency staff does not have manuals or guidelines describing how to respond to health complaints related to natural gas industry.  “This is not surprising,” said Bernard Goldstein, professor emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health. “It hasn’t got enough resources to do its core job.” The health department will not receive any funding from the state’s newly legislated natural gas impact fee.

Nonprofits are attempting to take up some of the slack.  In February of this year, the McMurray-based nonprofit, Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project, was founded “to assist and support Washington County residents who believe their health has been, or could be, impacted by natural gas drilling activities.”

In June, 2012 the Clean Air Council (CAC), an environmental nonprofit,  sent a letter to the US Environmental Protection Agency requesting federal intervention i.e. asking the EPA to assist the PA DEP in it’s duty to respond to complaints about air quality.  Per the letter signed by Joseph Minott, Executive Director of the CAC, “Due to residents’ concerns about PA DEP’s inability to process and respond to complaints, the Council decided to fill in these gaps by designing an online (and hard-copy) reporting mechanism for residents’ complaints related to air quality issues of natural gas operations.” The CAC received 13 complaints in 6 months. The organization intends to submit compiled reports monthly to the EPA and other agencies.  The letter to the EPA contains charts of the symptoms associated with visible emissions and noxious odors in the 13 cases, details the frustrations of residents, and takes the PA DEP to task for it’s poor responsiveness record per resident’s reports.

Joe Osborne, Legal Director for Pittsburgh-based GASP (Group Against Smog and Pollution), applauded the commencement of the study but also noted it’s limitations.  In an email comment to FrackCheckWV, Osborne said:  ”This long-term study is a step in the right direction, but ultimately states in the Marcellus and Utica need a larger scale monitoring network to characterize shale gas emissions. Consider Texas’s network of over a dozen automated gas chromatographs.” Also Osborne noted that the study involves only 3 monitoring sites and all are owned by the same operator. “We know that there is significant variation in the environmental performance of companies operating in the Marcellus…..A single operator is unlikely to accurately reflect the varied environmental performance we see company to company.”  A link to FracTracker was provided in support of this assertion.

Related Story Don Hopey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported recently  The Lung Association’s State of the Air 2012 report, released this morning, again ranks the eight-county Pittsburgh-New Castle metropolitan area among the 25 most polluted regions in the U.S. for ozone and fine airborne particle pollution. But the gas industry’s role in contributing to ozone through the burden of nitrogen oxides is grist for another post, another day.

Residents from Athens County in southeastern Ohio have visited Wetzel County in West Virginia to get a first-hand understanding of the issues involving deep drilling and fracking for natural gas.  They witnessed the drilling equipment, gas wells and pipelines across the cleared muddy landscape just a few miles into the hills from the Ohio River.

Councilwoman Michele Papai, D-3rd Ward, Ann Brown and Al Blazevicius presented what they saw during their January 9th visit in a report at the Athens County Commissioners meeting.  The group shared its observations on the effects of hydraulic fracturing sites run primarily by Chesapeake Energy, one of the oil-and-gas corporations purchasing mineral rights leases in Athens County.

These community leaders urged the commissioners to begin a strategic planning process to develop a proactive approach to “fracking” in the county. “We need to encourage citizens to know what’s going on and pull in all facets of the issue,” Councilwoman Michelle Papai said. “We cannot be fragmented, and we look to our leaders to push for that.” Papai said the interest in creating a strategic committee is huge and could lead to interaction and collaboration between city officials, county officials and citizens. Though she said she understands many of the concerns about fracking are regulated by the state, Papai added that a local push for a change is just as important.

Commissioner Larry Payne said many opponents of fracking have approached him about creating regulations about air, water and land pollution, but it is not the county’s jurisdiction because of state and federal law. “As much as we would like to be able to help in every way, we have to work on what we are allowed to work on,” Payne said.

Along with many of the negative environmental effects — such as chemical spillage and air, water and land pollution — Ann Brown said deteriorating roads and changes in the quality of life were evident in Wetzel. Numerous Wetzel residents reported day-to-day problems with traffic and road safety. On its tour, the group witnessed a truck accident caused by a road giving out because of soil erosion.

Payne said the commissioners have been and will continue to be proactive regarding the safety of the county, adding that two committees have been formed to create emergency action plans and better communication between all safety providers. Payne also said a road use agreement is being drafted by the commissioners that will require companies to maintain and fix all roads they use during their time in the county. 

Commissioner Lenny Eliason said that along with letting the public know more about the committees, writing to state and federal officials is also highly encouraged. “I know many people from Athens have protested against fracking and letting your voice be heard on the state level is an important part of this,” Eliason said.

“We have come down to the wire,” said Delegate Tim Manchin (D-Marion). “I think the public really wants and deserves a bill.”  An unusual Sunday morning session of the Joint Select Committee on Marcellus Shale has been set for Charleston, prior to a regular Interim Session of the Legislature. The meeting seeks to work out four proposed amendments, including likely contentious language to protect and compensate surface landowners and expand the ability of state regulators to deny new drilling permits when appropriate.

“Why should we listen to some professor theorize about jobs when we can have the hard data about the jobs?” Delegate Tim Manchin said. “If jobs are the reason why our people should be inconvenienced by roads and trucks and scarring of the land, why shouldn’t we know how many jobs?”  Manchin said he’s been told industry officials and some Senate committee members want to slow down that process.  “We’re going to miss any chance of having a special session,” Manchin said. “I’m deeply concerned, but cautiously optimistic.”  See the status of the SB-424 bill here.

Gas industry spokesmen have said there are things in the amendments to SB-424 that they oppose. But environmental groups have warned about impacts, and the WV-DEP has agreed it needs more staff and tougher rules to regulate new horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracking techniques that involve much larger operations and more complex permits. Surface landowners from around the state have also told horror stories about having their property invaded and damaged by drilling operations. And new studies are questioning whether natural gas really has the greenhouse gas advantages over coal that have been cited in the past.