Don’t Allow More Toxins in West Virginia’s Waters

From the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, 5/11/20

Watch our new video fact sheet on human health criteria by clicking here in this sentence.

Source: WV Rivers Coalition, Charleston, WV

Right now, in the midst of a public health crisis, the WVDEP is proposing to allow even more dangerous toxins in our water. Act Now! Tell WVDEP to respect your water and your health, don’t allow more toxins in West Virginia’s water!

WVDEP’s proposal is related to a critical portion of West Virginia’s water quality standards called human health criteria. Human health criteria determines how much of a dangerous toxin can be in our water before it harms our health.

West Virginia’s current human health criteria is based on data that is nearly 40-years old and citizen advocates have long fought for more protective criteria. Sadly, WVDEP’s proposal exposes us to higher amounts of certain toxic chemicals and known carcinogens. It also leaves out updated protections for several toxins the EPA has recommended WV to adopt since 2015.

Enough is enough! Demand WVDEP respect your water and your health, tell them not to allow more toxins in West Virginia’s water.

Act Now — It’s hard to believe that WVDEP is even considering such a proposal at a time when public health is a global priority. Speak up for clean water and public health! Tell WVDEP not to allow more toxins in our water!

You can submit comments on the proposed rule through May 19th. So Act Now on this important issue. See our WV Rivers Coalition website here for more information.

West Virginia Rivers Coalition
3501 MacCorkle Ave SE #129 | Charleston, West Virginia 25304
304-637-7201 | wvrivers@wvrivers.org

WV Rivers Coalition opposes radical changes

From the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, February 28, 2019

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a proposed rule that will dramatically reduce the scope of waters protected by the Clean Water Act. This proposal is the worst rollback of Clean Water Act protections in history. The proposal redefines what waters are federally protected, limiting Clean Water Act protections to wetlands with a “continuous surface connection” to larger lakes, streams, or rivers and removing federal protections for rain and snow dependent streams. By the EPA’s own estimate, it would remove protections from 51% of our nation’s wetlands and 18% of streams, making it easier to pollute, pave over or build on them, and states may no longer be required to clean up polluted wetlands.

The proposal also allows the agencies to adopt a far worse final rule later. For instance, the proposal invites input on whether EPA should also exclude seasonal streams from federal protection, in addition to rain-dependent ones. If the final rule also excludes intermittent streams in addition to ephemeral, that would threaten at least 70% of our nation’s stream miles, over 9 million stream miles.

With many Americans dealing with unsafe drinking water, now is not the time to cut back on clean water enforcement. We need more—not less—protection for clean water.

There are no waters that are safe to pollute. We all know wetlands flow into streams, which flow into small rivers, into bigger rivers, and ultimately the ocean. We urge you to comment in opposition to this rule, telling the Trump Administration that America needs a strong Clean Water Act that protects our drinking water and our way of life.

This is the biggest weakening of the Clean Water Act in history.

This sweeping reinterpretation of the Clean Water Act could remove federal pollution safeguards for many important streams that do not flow year-round, called ephemeral streams. By EPA’s own estimates, this accounts for 18% of streams in the United States. The proposal would also allow the agency to adopt a far worse final rule later. For instance, the proposal invites input on whether EPA should also exclude seasonal streams from federal protection, in addition to rain-dependent ones

The new proposal will mean that at least half of America’s wetlands will no longer be protected by the Clean Water Act. The proposal restricts Clean Water Act protections to wetlands with a “continuous surface connection” to larger lakes, streams or rivers. The proposal would exclude not only so-called isolated wetlands, but floodplain wetlands as well, except those floodplain wetlands that have an uninterrupted surface water connection to a perennial or seasonal waterbody. Floodplain wetlands like bottomland hardwood wetlands that are connected by periodic surface flows and shallow groundwater connections (most wetlands) would not be covered if the surface connection is severed by manmade or natural features like levees, berms, roads, etc. By EPA’s own estimate, this means that at least 51% of America’s wetlands will no longer be federally protected under the Clean Water Act.

What It Could Mean:

>>> Commercial developers would no longer need to obtain a permit before paving over or building on many wetlands — increasing flooding and damaging wildlife habitats.

>>> Oil spills or pipeline breaks into these streams or wetlands could no longer be considered violations of the Clean Water Act.

>>> Fecal matter from factory farms could overflow into unprotected streams without fear of federal consequences.

>>> Industrial facilities could discharge chemicals into unprotected streams without paying Clean Water Act fines.

>>> Water treatment plants might be able discharge partially treated sewage into streams without adhering to federal water quality standards.

>>> States may no longer be required to clean up polluted streams or wetlands;

>>> If an agency fails to take action, the public could no longer use citizens’ suits under the Clean Water Act to protect their waters.

You can and should reply and comment by April 15th here.

Comments filed to WV-DEP by 20 organizations on March 4, 2019

Re: 401 Water Quality Certification Program Submitted via: WQSComments@wv.gov

West Virginia Rivers Coalition, on behalf of our members and the 19 organizations signed below, respectfully submit the following comments on the proposed modifications to the West Virginia 401 Water Quality Certification for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Nationwide Permits. We oppose the proposed changes to the standard and special conditions, which weaken protections for West Virginia’s rivers and streams.

The public notice of the proposed modifications was inadequate. The public must receive adequate notice of the DEP’s proposed modifications. With the September 2018 NWP 401 Certification proposed modification, the DEP posted the public comment period on the DEP Public Information Office’s news webpage. The January 2019 proposal was not listed on the Public Information Office’s news webpage. Furthermore, there was no record of the public notice posted to the DEP Public Notice Mailing List. The notice was placed on DEP’s 401 Water Quality Certification webpage, but that does not satisfy the public notice requirements.

The modifications may weaken or eliminate protections for every Nationwide Permit as applied in West Virginia. We are adamantly opposed to the proposed revisions to Standard Condition 22, which allows DEP to waive any of the standard or special conditions of the State 401 Water Quality Certification applicable to Nationwide Permits.

This modification is overly broad and vague. It applies to every nationwide permit. It does not provide any specifics regarding guidelines as to when waiving a condition is appropriate. And it does not specify what public process, if any, will be undertaken to ensure that waivers of standard or special conditions will undergo public notice, scrutiny, and comment.

The modification cites Section 401(a) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act [33 U.S.C. § 1341(a)]; however, this section of the Act grants the State the authority to waive a certification if not acted on within a year. It does not give the State the authority to waive special or standard conditions within the certification.

The modifications allows for waivers of Individual 401 Certification under Nationwide Permit 12. We are adamantly opposed to the proposed changes to Nationwide Permit 12 West Virginia 401 Water Quality Certification Special Conditions, appearing under 12.A.

The relevant underlined added language reads:
“The Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, in the Secretary’s sole discretion, reserves the right to require an individual water quality certification for any of the following facilities or impacts:”

This added language changed from the original language:
“Individual State Water Quality Certification is required:”

By making this change DEP opens the door to allow waivers of the Individual 401 Certification. This could be done without any public scrutiny or input, which is unacceptable. The change would cut the public out of any decision making processes.

The Individual 401 Certifications on NWP 12 were subjected to public notice and comment, and stakeholders had the opportunity to seek administrative and judicial review of them. The proposed change enables the state to unilaterally waive those requirements for an individual permit now and deprives stakeholders of the opportunity for public participation or to seek administrative or judicial review.

Moreover, because the special conditions on NWP 12 are now conditions of the nationwide permit itself, DEP does not have the authority under federal or state law to unilaterally waive those requirements for an individual 401 permit.

Exempting dry ditch crossing methods and large rivers from the 72-hour requirement does not consider impacts on aquatic life. The proposed change to the Special Condition C under Nationwide 12 allows for the exemption of the 72-hour crossing time restriction for dry crossing methods and large navigable river crossings. The longer crossing time does not consider the effects on aquatic life. The effect of dewatering the stream bed for prolonged periods on aquatic life was not taken into consideration when proposing this modification.

In its biological opinion for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, the US Fish and Wildlife Service lists dewatering of mussel beds and increased sedimentation as two of the threats leading to the decline of Clubshell mussels. Clubshell mussels are also listed as species of concern for three water crossings on the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Candy Darters are also known to inhabit the Greenbrier and Gauley River Watersheds and were just recently listed under the Endangered Species Act with designated habitat where the Mountain Valley Pipeline proposes to cross the Gauley River and the Atlantic Coast Pipeline proposes to cross the Greenbrier River. The impacts of dewatering the streambed for prolonged periods on species of concern, such as Candy Darters and Clubshell mussels, must be taken into consideration prior to removing the 72-hour requirement.

The change to the 72-hour requirement affects other agency decisions. DEP relied on the 72- hour stream crossing condition when issuing the State General Water Pollution Control Permit for the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines. On both projects in its response to comments for why an anti-degradation review is not needed, DEP states, “The Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for this project requires that additional protective measures will be employed at crossings of and in proximity to Tier 3 and trout streams. The additional measures include… stream crossings in these areas will be completed within 72 hours once the crossing has begun…” By exempting large rivers and dry crossing methods from the 72-hour stream crossing condition, DEP would also invalidate the protections afforded streams under the General Stormwater Construction Permit and undermine its own rationale of why an anti-degradation review is unnecessary.

Other state agencies rely on the special conditions included within the Nationwide Permits. WVDNR refers to the condition requiring crossings to be completed in 72 hours in its spawning waiver approvals, and assumes when issuing those waivers that the applicant will comply with the 72-hour restriction. Allowing an exemption to this condition would therefore undermine WVDNR’s spawning waiver approvals. Changing this condition to allow longer crossing durations during which the stream bed is dewatered for prolonged periods would have detrimental effects on aquatic life, especially in areas where WVDNR relied on this rule to allow construction during the spawning season.

Modifications would allow structures that prevent fish movement between upstream and downstream for an undetermined length of time, as long as the structure is not permanent. The proposed modification to Special Condition L under Nationwide 12 would allow temporary structures that prevent fish passage. There is no specific timeframe for how long fish movement can be prevented as long as it is eventually restored. This change could have detrimental effects on fish species, including sensitive species such as the native brook trout and the endangered candy darters.

Fish movement ranges from short daily movements to seasonal migrations. The degree of fish movement depends on water levels, river flows and temperature. Fish need unimpeded movement in a waterway to access seasonal food sources, breeding areas, various habitat types and drought refuges. Structures that prevent fish movement may impact the fish’s ability to find adequate food, escape poor habitat conditions, or reach spawning grounds. Severing the connectivity of aquatic habitat for prolonged periods can prevent fish from migrating to various areas in the stream that are used during their different life stages. Migration barriers have the potential to restrict available habitats, interrupt seasonal movement patterns, and lead to individual losses due to isolation events. Structures preventing fish movement for long periods of time can alter the biology of the stream. These structures may also exacerbate flooding issues during high flow events.

Modifications undermine the Secretary’s position that NWP 12 Special Conditions are needed to prevent impacts. In the Secretary’s letter to staff regarding the Mountain Valley Pipeline 401 Waiver, he endorses the conditions put in place by the agency when certifying the 404 permit by stating:

“That 401 Certification had several conditions to ensure that temporary impacts to West Virginia’s waters would be minimized, and mitigation would be provided for permanent impacts. Importantly, during the same period of time that the WVDEP was working on this MVP individual certification, it was also developing special conditions for the reissuance of the USACE nationwide permit… The special conditions West Virginia included in it is certification on the newly reissued Nationwide 12 permit (in April 2017) largely mirrored the conditions that West Virginia had previously placed (in March 2017) on the MVP’s 401 Individual Certification… Because the newly issued Nationwide 12 permit included updated state conditions that were similar to those contained in MVP’s previous individual 401 Certification, WVDEP determined it was unnecessary to repeat them in an Individual Certification. As a result, it waived the 401 Certification…To be clear – by waiving the 401 Individual Certification, we are not abandoning our duty to protect the water quality of West Virginia. In fact, the new Nationwide 12 permit is 401 certified by West Virginia and includes state specific conditions relative to pipelines. Combined with the state Construction Stormwater Permit, we are in a stronger position to effectively regulate all pipeline construction in West Virginia.”

The DEP has previously relied on and endorsed the conditions under the 401 Certification for nationwide permits. It is problematic for DEP to change its course now in what appears to be a move to accommodate non-compliant plans and permits of certain projects.

Proposed modifications do not maintain the water’s designated use as required by law. State water quality standards are the basis for controlling pollutants in West Virginia’s water resources. The standards consist of designated beneficial uses, water quality numeric and narrative criteria, an anti-degradation policy, and other general policies on implementation. The water quality standards and criteria ensure that the beneficial uses are maintained and protected. DEP is mandated by the Requirements Governing Water Quality Standards Rule – Title 47CRS2 to maintain the rivers designated use; including public water supply and recreation. The proposed modifications do not ensure that the waterbodies’ designated uses will be maintained.

The Mountain Valley Pipeline proposes to cross the Gauley and Greenbrier Rivers, and the Atlantic Coast Pipeline proposes to cross the Buckhannon River, rivers that also serve as the source water for public water supplies directly downstream of the crossing locations. Exempting these river crossings from the Special Condition C would put undue hardships on the water treatment facilities by requiring the facilities to filter excess sediment in the source water for a duration of approximately 4 to 6 weeks or longer. The rivers’ designated use would not be maintained as a public drinking water source. Exemptions to the 72-hour condition do not ensure that the beneficial uses will be maintained and protected as required under the Clean Water Act.

The Greenbrier, Gauley, Buckhannon and Elk Rivers are popular recreational destinations for boating, swimming and fishing. The proposed modifications to Special Conditions C and L would impact the recreational use of these rivers. Allowing pipeline construction for an unrestricted duration coupled with impoundments that impede the flow will have detrimental effects on the recreational use of the impacted sections of these rivers. No recreation can occur during construction and the construction could last the majority of the popular recreational season. DEP’s proposed modifications to the special conditions do not maintain the rivers’ designated use for recreation.

The proposed modifications are untimely, unlawful and unnecessary. The DEP issued its recertification of the 401 for nationwide permits in 2017. Nationwide recertification is only necessary every five years. These modifications must wait until the 2022 recertification period. Opening the recertification process prematurely sets a precedent and disrupts the regulatory framework that industry, environmental organizations, state regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders rely on for continuity, transparency and certainty.

DEP has provided no justification for the proposed modifications to ensure that projects will still be able meet the state’s water quality standards. Likewise, the proposed modifications do not protect the rivers’ and streams’ designated uses. DEP cannot lawfully modify regulations without justification simply because the companies are not able to comply.

These modifications are not necessary for DEP to enable a company to use the most environmentally protective methods available. The agency has the authority now to deny large construction projects coverage under nationwide permits and require individual 401 Water Quality Certifications. Instead of following through with the proposed modifications, DEP should use individual 401 Water Quality Certifications to provide stream and wetland protections tailored to each project.

>>> Signed, Angie Rosser, West Virginia Rivers Coalition, plus 19 other organizations

Red trace is the Hammerhead Pipeline

From the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, December 2, 2018

You can submit comments to WVDEP on the Hammerhead Pipeline, a 25-mile, 30-inch gathering line in Monongalia, Marion and Wetzel Counties. The pipeline would impact 500 acres and approximately 128 streams and wetlands.

On Monday, December 3, the WVDEP will be holding a public hearing on the proposed pipeline at the Morgantown City Council Chambers from 6:00-8:00PM where you can submit comments on the project’s stormwater and sediment control permit. This permit regulates polluted runoff from oil and gas development. Learn more about stormwater permits here, and view our fact sheet and suggested comments.

WV Rivers reviewed the Hammerhead Pipeline’s stormwater permit application and found that it lacks critical information the WVDEP needs to certify that the project will be able to meet permit requirements. Thorough scrutiny of stormwater permits is critical for the protection of WV’s streams.

In addition to the public hearing, you can submit comments online by emailing dep.comments@wv.gov, with the permit number WVR311199 in the subject line. Read our fact sheet and submit your comments to WVDEP by Thursday, December 13.

West Virginia Rivers Coalition
3501 MacCorkle Ave SE #129
Charleston, WV 25304

Let’s protect all our streams all the time

From the WV Rivers Coalition, July 8, 2018

West Virginia’s Water Quality Standards are supposed to keep our water safe. Every three years the rules that govern what’s in West Virginia’s water undergo a revision process called the Triennial Review. West Virginia is in the midst of this process and WVDEP has released their proposed changes for public comment.

Share with WVDEP that you deserve safe water! Submit comments on Water Quality Standards by July 10. View our fact sheet on the Triennial Review and our full comments to WVDEP to learn more.

In a previous action alert, we shared information on toxic hotspots in our rivers that would result from WVDEP’s proposed revisions. Another substantial revision deals with something called human health criteria, which set limits on how much of a particular toxin can be in our water before it is dangerous to human health. These criteria make sure that our rivers can produce safe drinking water, as well as make sure they are safe for fishing and swimming.

EPA updated their recommended human health criteria limits for 94 chemical pollutants. In WVDEP’s suggested revisions to Water Quality Standards, they choose to adopt the updated limits for just 56 pollutants. WV Rivers urges WVDEP to adopt all 94 updated pollutant limits for a number of reasons:

1. Protecting human health must depend on sound science. It is paramount for human health criteria to be based on the most up-to-date scientific methods and information. EPA’s recommended limits reflect the best research we have available. WVDEP should adopt ALL of EPA’s recommendations for protecting human health.

2. Every waterbody in West Virginia already has a fish consumption advisory. It’s time to turn that around and make it safe again to eat fish from our rivers. Through neglecting to update human health criteria for all of EPA’s recommended pollutants, the road to recovery for our rivers stands to be even longer and more difficult.

3. Neighboring states are adopting all 94 pollutant limits. Our neighbors in PA and KY have moved to proactively ensure water safety by adopting all 94 of EPA’s recommendations. West Virginians would be put at increased risk than residents of nearby states for dangerous concentrations of the 38 pollutants not updated.

Speak Up Now! Share with WVDEP that you deserve safe water. Request WVDEP adopt all 94 of EPA’s recommended human health criteria limits by commenting on WVDEP’s revisions to Water Quality Standards through July 10. View our fact sheet and submit your comments here. You can also submit comments in person during a public hearing on July 10 at 6:00pm at the WVDEP headquarters in Charleston.

SEND A LETTER VIA WV RIVERS COALITION

http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/51680/images/21646/-3

Quality water is essential to our lives!

From the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, June 27, 2018

You deserve to know what’s in your water. Every three years the rules that govern what’s in West Virginia’s water undergo a revision process called the Triennial Review. West Virginia is in the midst of this process and WVDEP has released their proposed changes for public comment, you can view them here.

WV Rivers has reviewed WVDEP’s proposed revisions to Water Quality Standards and recommends additions to safeguard human health from waterborne toxins. View our fact sheet on the Triennial Review and our full comments to WVDEP to learn more.

One change to WV’s Water Quality Standards would expand allowances for toxic hotspots in our waters. These areas are called overlapping mixing zones, learn more here.

Overlapping mixing zones have concentrations and combinations of pollutants that are dangerous to human health. The proposed rule would allow these areas, and it does not deal with the requirement to notify the public of their presence or danger.

WV Rivers requests WVDEP specify signage requirements at overlapping mixing zones that graphically depicts and states that the waterbody within the mixing zone contains high levels of pollutants harmful to human health, and that contact with the water or consumption of fish harvested in the area could have severe health impacts.

Speak Up Now! Share with WVDEP why you deserve to know when the water is dangerous. Request public health notifications at overlapping mixing zones by commenting on WVDEP’s revisions to Water Quality Standards through July 10. View our fact sheet and submit your comments here. You can also submit comments in person during a public hearing on July 10 at 6:00pm at the WVDEP headquarters in Charleston.

Marcellus shale & drill cuttings are radioactive

From an Article by the Associated Press, WV Public Broadcasting, December 19, 2017

Environmentalists have reached an agreement with Antero Treatment that calls for monitoring for radioactivity and bromide around its landfill in northern West Virginia that takes the waste from recycled groundwater used in hydraulic fracturing for natural gas.

It settles an appeal by the West Virginia Rivers Coalition and West Virginia Highlands Conservancy of the state permit for the landfill, which takes salt byproducts from Antero’s adjacent wastewater recycling facility. Both are located on 447 acres in Ritchie and Doddridge counties.

The environmental groups say the permit allows discharging stormwater runoff and associated pollutants into tributaries of the Hughes River upstream within 5 miles of Harrisville’s public water system intake.

“This is one example of how the state is tasked with evaluating new sources of pollution brought about by the fracking boom,” said Angie Rosser, executive director of West Virginia Rivers Coalition. “We need to find out sooner rather than later if we’re seeing harmful things, like radioactivity, affecting our water supplies.”

The groups say the compound bromide is known to cause problems for treating drinking water.

According to Denver-based parent company Antero Resources Corp., about 95 percent of the water it uses for fracking will be treated at the recycling facility, nearly eliminating the need for wastewater disposal wells and reducing withdrawals from West Virginia’s waterways. Salt will constitute about 92 percent of all solid byproducts, it said.

The company (Antero) drills for natural gas in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The agreement signed December 8th requires one initial year of monitoring for radioactivity in materials entering the landfill and in groundwater monthly, as well as regular monitoring for bromide and solids in surface water discharges.

That includes a monthly lab analysis of salt samples from a truck that passed through the landfill’s radiation detection equipment. If two or more lab samples significantly deviate from the detection equipment measurements, Antero will conduct an additional year of sampling.

If any monthly groundwater sampling for radium is significantly higher than background levels, the agreement says Antero will conduct another year of that sampling.

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Environmental Working Group Prepares Report on Radioactivity in Public Drinking Water in the United States

Some 170 Million in U.S. Drink Radioactive Tap Water. Trump Nominee Faked Data to Hide Cancer Risk.

From an Article by Bill Walker and Wicitra Mahotama, Environmental Working Group, January 11, 2018

Tap water used by 170 million Americans in all 50 states contains some level of radiation that may increase the risk of cancer at least marginally, according to the new report from the Environmental Working Group analyzing state data from 2010 to 2015. Only a small percentage of water systems serving a total of 276,000 people in 27 states reported radiation levels exceeding federal limits, but environmentalists warn those limits are already too high and should be updated to improve water quality.

Radiation in drinking water comes from naturally occurring elements in the Earth’s crust and may be higher in areas disturbed by mining or oil and gas extraction, according to the report. The most common sources of radiation are radium-226 and radium-228, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires utilities to test for these elements to make sure radiation in tap water does not exceed the federal limit.

Sediment from the Rover Pipeline construction flowing into Meathouse Fork, Doddridge Co. WV

From Autumn Crowe, West Virginia Rivers Coalition, December 4, 2017

This month WVDEP is holding public hearings on two major natural gas pipelines, the Mountain XPress Pipeline and the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Each public hearing focuses on stormwater and sediment control permits, which regulate runoff from oil and gas development. Check out our guide to stormwater permits to learn more.

Mountaineer XPress Pipeline Public Hearings – December 11 & 12

The Mountaineer XPress Pipeline (MXP) would stretch 170-miles across West Virginia as part of the Columbia Pipeline Group, which spans multiple states.

Monday, December 11, 6-8pm
Doddridge County Park
1252 Snowbird Road
West Union, WV 26456

Tuesday, December 12, 6-8pm
Ripley High School
2 School Street
Ripley, WV 25271

Written comments will be accepted through Friday, December 22, 2017.

Atlantic Coast Pipeline Public Hearings – December 18 & 21

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) would span 3 states in it’s 600-mile path, approximately 100 of those miles in West Virginia.

Monday, December 18, 6-8pm
Buckhannon Upshur High School
270 Bu Drive
Buckhannon, WV 26201

Thursday, December 21, 6-8pm
Pocahontas County High School
271 Warrior Way
Dunmore, WV 24934

Written comments will be accepted through Sunday, December 31, 2017.

Don’t wait to the last minute!

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New consultant report on pipeline economics and manufacturing jobs

By Amy Mall, National Research Defense Council, December 4, 2017

A new expert report commissioned by NRDC concludes that there is no support for claims that a new natural gas pipeline will save consumers money, is needed to meet new natural gas demand, or will lead to additional opportunities for new manufacturing jobs. This report focuses on ACP due to the information available on the proposed end uses, but offers some cautionary relevancy for MVP:

https://www.nrdc.org/experts/amy-mall/pipe-dreams-economic-jobs-myths-natural-gas-pipelines

Other relevant blog posts:

https://www.nrdc.org/experts/amy-mall/virginia-deq-wrong-pipelines-contaminate-clean-water

https://www.nrdc.org/experts/amy-mall/pipelines-ruin-farmland-across-country

https://www.nrdc.org/experts/amy-mall/virginia-water-board-can-and-should-deny-pipeline-permits-0

https://www.nrdc.org/experts/amy-mall/top-ten-concerns-mountain-valley-atlantic-coast-pipelines

Thank you for all you do to help out!

AMY MALL, Senior Policy Analyst
NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL
1152 15TH STREET NW, SUITE 300
WASHINGTON, DC 20005

WV Rivers in Trouble

Join WV Rivers Coalition, Advocates for a Safe Water System, OVEC, WV Citizen Action Group, and WV Environmental Council at the WV Capitol Building as we remember the Elk River chemical leak on the 3-year anniversary of the #wvwatercrisis.

WV Rivers and Advocates are co-hosting a press conference with three experts who have been working on safe water since the January 9, 2014 chemical leak, which contaminated the drinking water of over 300,000 West Virginians.

We need you to come out and show your support for our water! The media will be there, and our elected officials will be watching. We need to send a strong message that we, the people of West Virginia, are paying attention and demand safe water! Join the event on Facebook and invite others.

What: Press Conference – Three Years After the Water Crisis: Where Are We Now?

When: 11 am Monday, January 9, 2017

Where: Lower Rotunda, State Capitol Building, Charleston

Yours for the environment, WV Environmental Council,

http://wvecouncil.org, info@wvecouncil.org

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Greenbrier River Watershed Association year-end letter

Thanks for your support of the Greenbrier River Watershed Association over the past year, and for some of you, for many years. Our email newsletters come out about twice a month. They contain information which we hope you have found useful.  Also, if you have not recently been to the website, www.greenbrier.org, please visit us there.  It has undergone changes that you will like.  We are also on Facebook at Greenbrier Watershed. 

This past year has brought many challenges and many rewards. Of course, we were struck to our core by the June flooding which affected so many of our families, communities, parks, forests and the river itself and her tributaries. Who could forget the scenes of tragedy that kept unfolding? Many of our members pitched in to help neighbors and are still working to rebuild our communities. Proceeds from our annual Watershed Celebration at Lost World were earmarked for repair of the damaged Greenbrier River Trail. Huge thanks to all who continue to volunteer!

We continue to support clean water in every way we can. We think it is our right as citizens to have clean drinking water and clean streams in which to recreate. Our deep concern about the potential for environmental harm from proposed pipelines, and the lack of oversight by agencies tasked with regulating them, has not abated. It is still hard to believe that our remote river is slated for two crossings by huge industrial projects whose purpose is not bringing energy to our state, but rather exporting it overseas. 

On a happier note, we were recognized as Watershed of the Year by the West Virginia Watershed Network. The main reason was our successful work to get conservation easements on 250 acres along the River and Trail in Pocahontas and Greenbrier counties. This acreage overlooks Spice Run Wilderness and will be forever protected from development.

Another of our projects which received statewide attention was our collaboration with the US Forest Service on construction of a new boat launch at Anthony. Our new coordinator, Jennifer Baker, traveled to Charleston recently for that award.  The project will receive Transportation Enhancement Funds. We know your time and funds are limited, but we want to let you know that we appreciate your generous support, and hope that as you look at year-end giving, you will be able to include your local water protectors on the “nice” list.

Sincerely, John Walkup, President; Greenbrier River Watershed Association, P.O. Box 1419, Lewisburg, WV 24901
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See also: “West Virginia Streams are in Trouble”

http://www.appalmad.org/slider/west-virginias-streams-are-in-trouble/