Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition Action Alert

April 21
2008
Alert Archive

OVEC Action Alert
Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition

Below:

 Tomorrow, Noon in Charleston: Earth Day Press Conference and Citizens' Hearing
Please join us at noon on Earth Day, at the Rotunda on the second floor of the State Capitol in Charleston, WV.  Community leaders and concerned citizens will conduct a press conference and deliver a petition for a legislative audit on the performance of regulatory enforcement by the state Department of Environmental Protection. After the press conference, participants will conduct a Citizens' Public Hearing on the need to audit DEP.

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 Tomorrow Evening in Charleston: WV Premier of "Burning the Future"
On Earth Day --tomorrow, April 22-- "Burning the Future" opens the West Virginia International Film Festival.  Tickets are $7.00.  Join us inside the theatre for a reception. Meet some of the folks in the documentary and filmmaker David Novack. We sure hope to see you there, at 6:30 p.m. at the WVSC Theatre, 123 Summers St., Charleston, WV.

Watch this video from The Real News--Clean coal's dirty secret--to see clips from "Burning the Future."  

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 "50 Simple Things" Book Features OVEC


Book

"If you were a fan of the original 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth in the 1990s, you may be in for a surprise. This isn't an updated version of the original - it's an entirely new book." -John Javna, Author

BUY THE BOOK

A New Kind of Activism

The #1 New York Times bestseller, "50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth," is back! And this time, the authors have joined forces with 50 leading environmental groups... including The Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition.

 

We're proud to be one of the 50 groups chosen as partners in this50 Simple Things exciting project... and we'd love to give you an exclusive look at the pages we helped create.

 

Just CLICK HERE to see the chapter of the book featuring The Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition!


Together we can make a difference!

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 Postponed Call for Peace in the Coalfields: Fasting Wherever You Are
From the WV Council of Churches’ Government Concerns and Peace and Justice Programs:

On May 13 (Moved to September) , arguments will be heard in a West Virginia case being reviewed before the Fourth Circuit Court in Richmond, Virginia. This case is the appeal of an October 11, 2007 decision by U.S. District Judge Robert Chambers (regarding the way the Army Corps of Engineers issues valley fill permits). Judge Chambers ruled that permanent damage to streams and forests outweighed temporary and speculative economic harm to the company.

 

As the time for a decision on this appeal approaches, it is clear that whichever way the Court decides, many West Virginia residents will consider themselves to be adversely affected. Some in the coalfield communities fear their homes and heritage will be lost, and their health threatened by valley fills. Miners are worried about losing surface mining jobs and their capacity to support their families.

 

As people of faith, we feel it is of great importance that we support all our fellow citizens involved by calling for calm, non-violence, and reasoned dialogue surrounding this issue and the upcoming court decision. Therefore, it is our intent to invite people of conscience to a period of fasting and prayer for peace in our communities. We are designating the two weeks prior to May 13 as a “Fast for Peace in the Coalfields,” and invite our neighbors to select one or more days to join us in this effort.

 

Individuals or groups desiring to join the fast are asked to contact Carol Warren, Chair of the Council of Churches’ Government Concerns Program Unit at peacelovemom@gmail.com  to sign on. This will aid us in verifying that people are participating each day throughout the two-week period of April 30 to May 13, 2008

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 Postponed Saturday May 10: Non-Violence and Peacekeeping Training inCharleston
All are invited to a free a non-violence / peacekeeping training in Charleston, WV, sponsored by OVEC. Professional, highly-recommended trainers from Washington, DC will lead this training. We've noticed an increase in intimidation directed toward mountaintop removal opponents. on May 13, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments in the appeal of a lawsuit filed by the Appalachian Center for the Economy and the Envrioment on behalf of OVEC, WV Highlands Conservancy and Coal River Mountain Watch. Tensions could further escalate. Learn techniques for diffusing tense situations and keeping your calm at this training. Exact location and time to be announced. Please RSVP to vivian@ohvec.org if you want more information or would like to attend.

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 April 25 in Huntington: Meet the Candidates
April 25: 6: 30 p.m. Cabell Huntington Branch of NAACP and OVEC co-sponsor a Meet the Candidates event at the A.D. Lewis Center, 1450 A.D. Lewis Drive (off Hal Greer Blvd.), Huntington, WV.

We want you to know where state and local candidates stand on issues important to you, your community, and your quality of life. Be an informed voter. Bring a friend. Light refreshments will follow the discussion.

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April 26 in Logan: Meeting of Community Members and Scientists
The Wheeling Jesuit University has organized an afternoon where community members can meet with scientists. The purpose of the meeting is to bring together community members who are concerned about environmental issues in Southern West Virginia, and to identify common environmental priorities they would like to address. The next step will be to assess the prioritized environmental risk and to reduce that risk. The premise for this project is that the direction and leadership must come from the communities. Organizers see this meeting as a starting point to leverage more resources for addressing the list of priorities established by the community representatives. Participants are asked to bring a pot luck dish to share.

The meeting, sponsored by Wheeling Jesuit University, begins at 12:30 p.m. with the potluck lunch.  Doors open at noon. The meeting space is in the Guyandotte Room of the Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, Logan Campus. The Logan Campus is located at 2900 Dempsey Branch Road, Mount Gay WV. The Guyandotte Room is in the main classroom building. It is the last room on the right.

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 Mountaintop Removal Story on Front Page of Sunday, April 20 Washington Post
If you missed it, please check out "Stripping Mountains to Power DC" in yesterday's Washington Post. The story ran on the front page, above the fold, with a big photo of a mountaintop removal coal mining operation. OVEC members, board members and staff are quoted in the article.

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www.ohvec.org       304-522-0246        vivian@ohvec.org

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