Clean Water Action Alert ~ TODAY
On Tuesday, 3/16, the Senate Judiciary Committee was to vote on HB 2382,
a WVDEP rules bundle which includes changes to West Virginia's water quality standards. During the meeting, the Committee Chairman pulled the bill off the agenda due to inadequate time to provide the bill the consideration it deserves.
FIND AREA RIVER GAUGES AND FLOW CHARTS @
Transco & MVP: Eminent Domain Squared?
Mountain Valley Pipeline's extension opposed by existing Transco pipeline

There’s new opposition to the Mountain Valley Pipeline, this time from a fellow natural gas pipeline.
When Mountain Valley announced a 75-mile extension into North Carolina three years ago, its plan was to lay part of the buried pipeline next to the Transcontinental Pipeline, which has been in service since the 20th century.
But in court documents filed Monday, attorneys for that pipeline wrote that “MVP’s proposed location is simply irresponsible.”
Also known as Transco, the Oklahoma-based pipeline is fighting an attempt by Mountain Valley to use eminent domain to acquire easements on private property — some of it seized by Transco through the same controversial process years ago.
In other words, Mountain Valley is attempting to take by eminent domain land that was taken by eminent domain.
To build a second pipeline so close to the first “raises significant safety concerns for Transco and the general public,” according to responses to Mountain Valley’s legal actions filed in federal courts in Danville and Greensboro.
Among the concerns cited: Mountain Valley’s extension, called MVP Southgate, could interfere with a cathodic protection system and possibly cause a leak to occur; restrict access needed by Transco to its pipeline; and endanger the older pipeline with heavy equipment and blasting during construction.
Report Questions Mountain Valley Pipeline's
Financial Viability

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline may not be needed because natural-gas demand in the Southeast is expected to decline over the next decade, according to a new report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).

The $6 billion pipeline project, which still is under construction, would bring gas from northern West Virginia to southwestern Virginia.

Jim Kotcon, chair of the conservation committee for the West Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club, opposes the project, citing water and air pollution from natural-gas operations and the need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels in order to fight climate change.

"We should not be planning for increased capacity when investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy can supply our needs with much less environmental cost," Kotcon contended.

The owners of the pipeline say the project is needed to meet regional energy demands.

But the report found current capacity is sufficient and projects less demand from foreign markets than was originally forecast.

Kotcon pointed out the contracts for much of the gas come from companies affiliated with the owner of the pipeline, and he predicts big rate increases down the line to pay for it.

Cathy Kunkel, energy finance analyst for IEEFA and co-author of the report, said the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has very rarely met a pipeline it didn't like.

"To my knowledge, they have only once denied a pipeline by saying it wasn't actually needed," Kunkel remarked. "Meanwhile the industry is overbuilding pipelines left and right."

President Biden recently appointed a new chairman of FERC, Richard Glick, who has said he intends to review the agency's policies on new natural-gas pipelines.

Meanwhile, both the Mountain Valley Pipeline and a proposed extension into North Carolina are tied up in ongoing litigation.
Great American Outdoors Act Funds Nine Projects on Monongahela National Forest
Contact(s): Kelly Bridges
Elkins, W.Va., March 16, 2021 —

Monongahela National Forest is pleased to announce that as part of the Great American Outdoors Act nine local projects have been selected for fiscal year 2021. The selected projects will be the first round of improvements to address deferred maintenance on the Forest while improving visitors’ experience. Many of these projects have multiple phases and will not necessarily be completed this year.

These projects are part of the $285 million investment made possible by the newly created National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, established in 2020 by the Great American Outdoors Act. These funds will allow the USDA Forest Service to implement more than 500 infrastructure improvement projects essential to the continued use and enjoyment of national forests and grasslands. These funds are critical in helping to reduce the Forest Service’s $5.2 billion deferred maintenance backlog and an important step in restoring what visitors love about national forests in the Eastern Region.

This year’s selected projects for Monongahela National Forest are:

  • Lake Sherwood Campground Rehabilitation. Lake Sherwood Campground will be renovated by replacing some toilet/shower wooden buildings with new accessible concrete structures, demolishing old vault toilets, repairing utility lines, replacing sewer infrastructure, reconstructing the amphitheater, and installing new traffic signs.
  • Marlinton-White Sulphur Ranger District Stream Crossing Structures for Trout Fisheries. This project will include the design and replacement of three undersized and deteriorating culverts on Forest Roads 296 and 298 (Laurel Run) and Forest Road 999 (Williams River), resulting in ecological uplift and improved trout fishing.
  • Williams River at Tea Creek Bridge Replacement at Cranberry Wilderness. Design and construct a replacement bridge on Forest Road 404 over the Williams River for access into Tea Creek Campground.
  • Red Oak Fire Tower Lightning Protections and Improvements. Repair and renovate parts of Red Oak Fire Tower to correct safety issues for future public use.
  • Tumbling Rock Bridge Replacement for Timber Sales and Recreation Access. A replacement bridge and abutments will be constructed for Cranberry Backcountry Road, Forest Road 76, over the Cranberry River near Tumbling Rock Shelter.
  • Forest Road 209 Culvert Replacement with Bridge for Aquatic Organism Passage Improvements. Design and replace a bridge/culvert to maintain recreational access to Stonecoal Dispersed Camping Area and improve aquatic organism passage in Red Run, a tributary of the Shavers Fork.
  • West Fork Greenbrier Bridge Replacement for Laurel Fork Wilderness Access. Design and construct a replacement bridge to link Forest Road 44 and the West Fork Rail Trail at Wildell.
  • Elleber North Fork Deer Creek Bridge Replacement. Install a permanent bridge on Forest Road 1681, providing access to Elleber Sods Grazing Allotment and the North Fork of Deer Creek, a popular trout stream.
  • Red Creek Bridge Replacement for Dolly Sods Wilderness Access. Remove the existing bridge and build a new bridge across Red Creek at Laneville to maintain safe access for area residents and Dolly Sods Wilderness visitors.
Southeast WV Solar Co-op Signup Deadline: March 31, 2021
Friends,
 
We want to make sure you are aware of an exciting opportunity to go solar with your neighbors through the Southeast WV Solar Co-op. 
 
If you're interested in going solar, this is the perfect opportunity to get support throughout the process and save money through the power of bulk purchasing. But you need to act now -- the signup deadline for the Southeast WV Solar Co-op is March 31! 
 
Interested homeowners can learn more at solarunitedneighbors.org/southeastWV. You can also make inquiries via email to wvteam@solarunitedneighbors.org.

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WV Envirothon for High School Students
The deadline for teams to register for the 2021 West Virginia Envirothon, a virtual competition for 2021, has been extended to March 26!
If your team is interested, please contact Heather Duncan by phone at 681-247-3013 (office) or by fax at 304-263-4986. Teams also can register by mailing their information to: Heather Duncan, 151 Aikens Center, Suite 2, Martinsburg, WV 25404.
The computer-based competition will be April 15-16.

Sign this petition
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) is seeking a revision to Ohio law that would allow for the automatic extension of air permits-to-install (PTI) for major polluting facilities, potentially threatening local air quality and eliminating opportunities for public input.

The proposed revision would allow for the extension of an installation permit by the length of time a permit was under appeal, which could be years. An automatic extension of air permits-to-install runs counter to the regulatory design of current Ohio law. It could allow major polluting facilities to operate under aging air regulations with outdated pollution control technology, potentially endangering local residents’ health. The proposed legislative revision also eliminates opportunities for public input on the construction and operation of major sources of pollution. Automatic extensions of air permits-to-install do not require the distribution of a public notice, nor do they require OEPA to accept and address public concerns.

FERC Workshop
April 16, 2021 9:00am - 5:00pm The workshop will provide interested parties with the opportunity to provide input to the Commission on the creation of the Office of Public Participation. The Commission intends to establish and operate the Office of Public Participation to "coordinate assistance to the public with respect to authorities exercised by the Commission," including assistance to those seeking to intervene in Commission proceedings, pursuant to section 319 of the Federal Power Act (FPA). 16 U.S.C. § 825q-1. Congress directed the Commission to provide, by June 25, 2021, to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a report on the Commission's progress towards establishing the Office of Public Participation, including an organizational structure and budget for the office, beginning in fiscal year 2022. Full info HERE  
    
Follow these pages 
WV Rivers ~ WV Rivers is the statewide voice for water-based recreation and clean, drinkable, swimmable, and fishable rivers and streams-from the headwaters to wherever water flows in West Virginia. 
 
WV Environmental Council ~ Facilitate communication and cooperation among citizens in promoting environmental protection in West Virginia, to assist in organizing grass roots groups, to facilitate interaction among established environmental organizations, and to correspond with all appropriate local, state, and federal agencies involved in the management of West Virginia's environment. 

THE LEGISLATURE ~ MAKE SURE THEY ARE WORKING FOR YOU 
West Virginia Legislature Live is a video & audio web streaming initiative of the House of Delegates and Senate and offers live webcasts of official legislative proceedings on things such as Agriculture & Natural Resources, Small Business & Economic Development, Workforce Development and more. 
  
 WV Senate ~ Find your Senate Representative and how to contact them.  
 
WV House of Delegates ~ Find your House Representative and how to contact them.   
 
WV Bill Status ~ Read full text and synopsis of, and track bill; find sponsors and co-sponsors 
FERC Live Commission Meetings ~ A free live webcast is offered for every commission meeting. Each is archived for three months. February meeting is Thursday, February 18, 21.
If you appreciate the work we are doing, please consider a donation today.
Contract Position Open

The Greenbrier River Watershed Association is going to contract with a new coordinator. If you are interested in working about ten hours a week on projects with a goal of educating the public about our issues, please let us know and we will forward you the job description.  
 
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