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Please Attend a MTR Permit Hearing
The Senate said NO! to the latest maneuvering for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Give yourselves hearty thanks, because you and millions of others have made the calls and written the letters that let politicians know we don't want drilling in ANWR.
March 27-PLEASE ATTEND A HEARING ON MTR PERMIT
Please show your support for OVEC members from the Island Creek area of Logan County by attending a DEP permit hearing "informal conference" at 6 p.m. Thursday night (March 27) at the Logan High School Little Theater in Logan. Folks will voice their concerns with Coal-Mac's Phoenix No. 4 surface mine, permit # S-5013-01.
Island Creekers are worried about potential flooding due to mountaintop removal and valley fills. Residents blame MTR for worsening the terrible flood on Island Creek in 1996.
Directions (not guaranteed): The Logan High School is in Logan and it might be easiest to just ask once you get to town. But here goes: From Corridor G (US 119) get off at the Logan exit and turn left at the traffic light, towards Logan. Go about 1 mile on the 4-lane boulevard, then turn left at the traffic light where you can see the Shoney's. Go across the bridge. Take another left at the traffic light, and go 500 feet across bridge. The High School is on the left.
Tune it to West Virginia Public Radio at noon on Tuesday, Marc25 for a program featuring the music and words of good OVEC-friend Kate Long.
APRIL EVENTS Be sure to check our calendar page for upcoming events including Tree Huggers' Ball and the OVEC-fundraising performance of "Final Assault," the play about mountaintop removal.
May 17--FREE TRADE AGREEMENT OF THE AMERICAS CONFERENCE. Please plan to attend this event. See details here. This "free trade" agreement affects you-it undermines the work of grassroots organizations working for labor and environmental justice in both North and South America by allowing other countries to attempt to overturn our hard-won local environmental and labor regulations.
May 20--RAZING APPALACHIA ON PBS On Tuesday, May 20, Independent Lens presents the film "Razing Appalachia" on PBS stations. This powerful environmental documentary, directed by filmmaker Sasha Waters, explores the mountaintop removal mining by following a grassroots fight to stop the process in West Virginia. Set in the town of Blair, in Pigeonroost Hollow, the film follows the journey of several families as they struggle to protect their land.
Lynne Faltraco (mlfaltra@rfci.net), working on a Rockefeller Fellowship entitled "Bridging the Gap" at the University of Kentucky, is helping citizen groups use universities as a resource base. She's seeking professors, academia and scientists throughout the Southeast and Appalachian regions who are willing to share their knowledge, resources, data, materials, etc. with citizens and community-based groups. To help, contact Lynne at mlflatra@rfci.net, ccrc@rfci.net or 859-257-1443.
EXPLORE ENERGY SAVINGS http://www.homeenergysaver.lbl.gov/
The WV Division of Natural Resources, Governor Wise, and Congressman Mollohan have been working for the past year on purchasing a large tract of land (approximately 6,000 acres) in the Cheat and Big Sandy Canyons from Allegheny Energy. WVDNR has identified a number of possible funding sources, tapping into existing money so no additional state appropriations are needed. Governor Wise has been working closely with Congressman Mollohan's office to arrange federal funding and he has also been seeking third party private donors to raise matching funds. The Conservation Fund has been talking directly with Allegheny Energy and made a strong commitment to finance the purchase within the next 18 months. Well, last week Allegheny Energy announced that this property is has been released for sale to the public (i.e. logging companies and developers!)
The loss of public access to this property will be a severe blow to the people of Northern West Virginia and the surrounding states. Furthermore, the documented presence of endangered species will severely restrict the potential uses of the land by whoever buys it. Also, the sale of this property, when combined with the unfortunate events surrounding the sale of Blackwater Canyon, will reflect very badly on Allegheny Energy. Letters are needed to Allegheny Energy president Jay Pifer. His address is as follows:
Mr. Jay Pifer, President
Allegheny Power
Hagerstown Corporate Headquarters
10435 Downsville Pike
Hagerstown, MD 21740-1766
Here's a sample letter provided by Friends of the Cheat; however, your letter will have more impact if it's written in your own words. Use the FOC letter for talking points and take a few minutes and compose your personal letter.
Dear Mr. Pifer:
I am writing once again on behalf of the Cheat Canyon Coalition, an affiliation of groups with an interest in the lands along the Cheat River in West Virginia between Albright and Cheat Lake. The state of the surrounding land is very important to all of these organizations, both east of the Mississippi and nationally.
We have been following closely efforts by the Governor Wise, Congressman Mollohan, WVDNR Director Hamrick, and the Conservation fund to purchase this land from your company. Given the money already on the table and the seriousness of the players, we felt that the process was on track. So we were quite dismayed to learn that Allegheny Energy now has plans to put their Cheat Canyon and Big Sandy lands up for public sale.
Your company should understand that loss of public access to this property will have a severe impact on the people of Northern West Virginia and surrounding states. The sale, when combined with the unfortunate events surrounding the sale of Blackwater Canyon, may not reflect well on the corporate image of Allegheny Energy. Furthermore, the documented presence of endangered species on much of this land will severely how it is used by the ultimate buyer. The Cheat Canyon is closer to major population centers and more heavily used than the Blackwater Canyon, and this deal, along with the future actions of any potential buyer, will be subject to intense public scrutiny.
I strongly urge you to continue the ongoing negotiations with the state of West Virginia with an eye towards transferring all AE land within the Cheat Canyon and Big Sandy River Gorge to public ownership.
Sincerely,
Your name
cc: Governor Bob Wise 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East Charleston, WV 25305 cc: Congressman Allan B. Mollohan 2302 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515
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