Global climate change is local, too

Editorial, Charleston Gazette, May 19, 2014

The effects of climate change are literally global in size, easily dwarfing human notions of scale. While it is a global phenomenon, people, and the animals and plants around them, will experience climate change locally, as well. Indeed, they are experiencing it now.

That is the topic of “Climate Change and the Highlands: What’s at Stake —What’s at Risk?” a conference June 7 at Blackwater Falls State Park.

Scientists, students, policy experts, lawyers, activists and other interested people will gather to learn about changes that are coming to West Virginia’s Allegheny Highlands — Tucker, Randolph, Pocahontas, Greenbrier and Monroe counties.

Featured presenters are Lonnie G. Thompson, a West Virginia native and National Medal of Science winner; Charles Bayless, former president of WVU-Tech, who worked in the electric utility industry and is a board member of the Climate Institute; and Thomas Pauley, professor emeritus of biology at Marshall University who has studied West Virginia amphibians and reptiles for almost 50 years.

A dozen other presenters promise to address specific effects in West Virginia’s mountains. For example:

– Nicolas Zegre, a forest hydrologist and professor at WVU, will share effects on wetlands and water resources in the Highlands.

– Alton Byers, a geographer with the West Virginia Mountain Institute, will show photos of climate change impacts at high elevations.

– Marc McDill of Penn State University will discuss the Pennsylvania Climate Impacts Assessment.

– Elizabeth Byers will discuss the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources Climate Change Species Vulnerability Assessment.

Still more speakers will cover trees, crayfish, salmanders, fish, business and citizen science.

“We are going to look at the impacts and risks from climate change to the economy and ecology of one of the most precious — and temperature-sensitive — areas of our state,” conference organizer Tom Rodd told the Gazette.

Rodd, a lawyer long involved in environmental and social justice issues, plans to gather the papers and presentations at the conference to share with others. He hopes to develop a summary presentation to take to classrooms or interested civic groups.

West Virginians educating themselves on the effects of global climate change specific to this region can only make a better informed — and hopefully more demanding — electorate as people increasingly must deal with this reality. Regular registration for the conference ends Friday, May 23. For information, visit wvalleghenyclimate.org.

Marcellus Shale Resources

West Virginia is home of one of the largest Marcellus Shale natural gas deposits on the East Coast. As landowners and community members began asking questions of WVU Extension agents about this topic, we began our work to learn more, gather experts and create the resources to respond.

Enhancing Public Understanding of Natural Gas Issues  

June 6, 2012 at Morgantown Event Center-A

Download Registration Form

WHAT: West Virginia University Extension Service Conference:

 “Enhancing Public Understanding of Natural Gas Issues”  

WHEN: June 6, 2012 Registration 8:30 a.m.

Program 9:15 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

WHERE: Morgantown Event Center Waterfront Place,

Morgantown, W.Va.

DETAILS: No attendance fee. Register by May 25, 2012

The first annual Public Natural Gas Education Conference is sponsored by the WVU Extension Service (WVUES) Natural Gas Education Team. Topics will include:

• Public Health Issues • Safety on Natural Gas Well Sites
• Private Property Issues • Banking and Financing Issues
• Seismology and Earthquakes

For more information, contact Georgette Plaugher

by phone at 304-329-1391 or

by email at Georgy.Plaugher@mail.wvu.edu.  

Former Senator Byron Dorgan

Former US Senator Byron Dorgan was the keynote speaker at a two-day American Petroleum Institute conference in Pittsburgh that kicked off today.  ”A wave of new U.S. oil and gas projects will face heightened federal regulation if the petroleum industry and state regulators can’t control the side effects of the boom, …. Dorgan warned an industry conference here today” Greenwire reported.  (Must be paid subscriber to access Greenwire online.)

“No matter what some might think, we don’t sit around the floor of the Senate saying, ‘What can we regulate today?’” …. “People begin to complain. Groups begin to complain”  Dorgan said.