Category: Newsletter article
Individual articles for various ‘issues’ of newsletters (i.e., articles for a GREEN Newsletter or Legislative Update).
585 posts found, showing 20 per page
Newsletter article Conni Lewis March 18, 2015
Spring Reflections
Baseball teaches both players and fans that failure is not only an option, it's part of the game. A team that wins 60% of its games is rare. And if like my beloved St. Louis Cardinals, it can do so frequently, it is regarded with awe. Even the best players recognize that they will leave home plate without a hit most of the time. So while I responded to this session's debacle with inappropriate language, anger and occasional despair, as a faithful baseball fan, I understand. In contrast, football expects near perfect seasons from its best teams, even amongst middle school leagues, and that distorts reality. But that sense that domination is good is widespread. More
Issues: Legislation
Spring Reflections
Baseball teaches both players and fans that failure is not only an option, it's part of the game. A team that wins 60% of its games is rare. And if like my beloved St. Louis Cardinals, it can do so frequently, it is regarded with awe. Even the best players recognize that they will leave home plate without a hit most of the time. So while I responded to this session's debacle with inappropriate language, anger and occasional despair, as a faithful baseball fan, I understand. In contrast, football expects near perfect seasons from its best teams, even amongst middle school leagues, and that distorts reality. But that sense that domination is good is widespread. More
Issues: Legislation
Newsletter article Vickie Wolfe March 18, 2015
For the Environment: What was gained, what was lost this session
Yes, believe it or not, there were a couple of "gains." One of those was the restoration of "Category A" status to the lower 72-mile stretch of the Kanawha River, which means that that section of the Kanawha may be used as source water for drinking water facilities. The WVEC and our allies worked hard to shepherd this rule through the process. More
Issues: Aluminum, Category A, Legislation, Net metering, Recycling, Water
For the Environment: What was gained, what was lost this session
Yes, believe it or not, there were a couple of "gains." One of those was the restoration of "Category A" status to the lower 72-mile stretch of the Kanawha River, which means that that section of the Kanawha may be used as source water for drinking water facilities. The WVEC and our allies worked hard to shepherd this rule through the process. More
Issues: Aluminum, Category A, Legislation, Net metering, Recycling, Water
Newsletter article Vickie Wolfe March 18, 2015
More to read
From Climate Progress: West Virginia Passes Bill Rolling Back Regulations On Chemical Storage Tanks Statehouse Beat: the many low points of 2015 session And in case you missed it, the Tomblin administration appears to have had a change in attitude toward those MTR health studies: W.Va. DEP’s Huffman: Strip-mine health studies deserve ‘closer look’ ‘A […] More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, Legislation, Mountaintop removal
More to read
From Climate Progress: West Virginia Passes Bill Rolling Back Regulations On Chemical Storage Tanks Statehouse Beat: the many low points of 2015 session And in case you missed it, the Tomblin administration appears to have had a change in attitude toward those MTR health studies: W.Va. DEP’s Huffman: Strip-mine health studies deserve ‘closer look’ ‘A […] More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, Legislation, Mountaintop removal
Newsletter article Bill Price March 7, 2015
Reaction and Action
I went to the labor rally earlier today. Speech after speech was about the need for action. Call your legislators, register to vote, vote, get your friends registered, drive your friends to the polls, get on the street, march, and rally; do anything, but do something. What inspiring words! I was so moved when they asked that people boycott Speedway Stores because workers are on strike at the Marathon facility near Ashland, that I went on to Facebook and sent that out. More
Issues: Coal, Pollution, Water
Reaction and Action
I went to the labor rally earlier today. Speech after speech was about the need for action. Call your legislators, register to vote, vote, get your friends registered, drive your friends to the polls, get on the street, march, and rally; do anything, but do something. What inspiring words! I was so moved when they asked that people boycott Speedway Stores because workers are on strike at the Marathon facility near Ashland, that I went on to Facebook and sent that out. More
Issues: Coal, Pollution, Water
Newsletter article Vickie Wolfe March 7, 2015
Update on S.B. 423, “Amending the Aboveground Storage Tank Act”
As we told you last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee's committee substitute for S.B. 423, "Amending the Aboveground Storage Tank Act" passed the Senate on Sunday with only one dissenting vote. Shortly thereafter, we began to hear that some senators were under the impression that all parties to the "stakeholder" negotiations, including our contingent, had agreed to the committee substitute. More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, Water
Update on S.B. 423, “Amending the Aboveground Storage Tank Act”
As we told you last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee's committee substitute for S.B. 423, "Amending the Aboveground Storage Tank Act" passed the Senate on Sunday with only one dissenting vote. Shortly thereafter, we began to hear that some senators were under the impression that all parties to the "stakeholder" negotiations, including our contingent, had agreed to the committee substitute. More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, Water
Newsletter article Ken Ward March 7, 2015
Hearing focuses concerns about tank law rollback
Kanawha Valley residents, small-business owners and religious leaders joined environmental advocates Friday morning in what could be a last-ditch effort to convince West Virginia lawmakers not to roll back a strong chemical tank safety law passed unanimously by the Legislature after last year’s Elk River leak and the ensuing water crisis. More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, Water
Hearing focuses concerns about tank law rollback
Kanawha Valley residents, small-business owners and religious leaders joined environmental advocates Friday morning in what could be a last-ditch effort to convince West Virginia lawmakers not to roll back a strong chemical tank safety law passed unanimously by the Legislature after last year’s Elk River leak and the ensuing water crisis. More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, Water
Newsletter article Rob Goodwin March 7, 2015
Coal Gets a Tax Cut Through HB2675 Despite its Continued Drain on State Budget
Early in the 2015 Legislative Session, the West Virginia Coal Association unveiled its 2015 Coal Legislative Program. A copy of this proposal was posted and distributed to the public by Ken Ward, Jr at the Charleston Gazette on his Coal Tattoo Blog on January 29th. A key provision in this proposal was to eliminate a 56 cent per ton tax on coal paid into the Workers’ Compensation Debt Reduction Fund. More
Issues: Coal
Coal Gets a Tax Cut Through HB2675 Despite its Continued Drain on State Budget
Early in the 2015 Legislative Session, the West Virginia Coal Association unveiled its 2015 Coal Legislative Program. A copy of this proposal was posted and distributed to the public by Ken Ward, Jr at the Charleston Gazette on his Coal Tattoo Blog on January 29th. A key provision in this proposal was to eliminate a 56 cent per ton tax on coal paid into the Workers’ Compensation Debt Reduction Fund. More
Issues: Coal
Newsletter article Conni Lewis March 7, 2015
The Plot Sickens
Before Friday's hearing, attempts were made to "encourage" our side to cancel it. We don't know who all the players are, but if I have learned nothing else in the past 25 years, its this: if opponents of a strong SB373 didn't fear us, they wouldn't try to stop us. More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, Solid waste
The Plot Sickens
Before Friday's hearing, attempts were made to "encourage" our side to cancel it. We don't know who all the players are, but if I have learned nothing else in the past 25 years, its this: if opponents of a strong SB373 didn't fear us, they wouldn't try to stop us. More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, Solid waste
Newsletter article Vickie Wolfe March 7, 2015
In the media this week
Charleston Gazette, Monday: Bill would roll back chemical tank oversight, WV Public Broadcasting, Tuesday: Company Proposes Building Two Gas-Fired Power Plants in W.Va., Duke University, Wednesday: New Models Yield Clearer Picture of Emissions' True Costs, Charleston Gazette, Wednesday: ‘Cookie Lobbyist’ tries sweet-tooth approach to sway W.Va. legislators More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, Natural gas, Pollution, Water
In the media this week
Charleston Gazette, Monday: Bill would roll back chemical tank oversight, WV Public Broadcasting, Tuesday: Company Proposes Building Two Gas-Fired Power Plants in W.Va., Duke University, Wednesday: New Models Yield Clearer Picture of Emissions' True Costs, Charleston Gazette, Wednesday: ‘Cookie Lobbyist’ tries sweet-tooth approach to sway W.Va. legislators More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, Natural gas, Pollution, Water
Newsletter article Vickie Wolfe March 7, 2015
Roundup: The Week Just Passed, The Week Ahead
On Monday the Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to take up H.B. 2283. This is the DEP rules bundle that contains the rule that proposes to restore “Category A” (drinking water) status to the section of the Kanawha River that flows through Charleston. This designation is necessary before a drinking water intake could be placed on that section of the Kanawha. More
Issues: Aluminum, Category A, Clean elections, Energy efficiency, Recycling, Water
Roundup: The Week Just Passed, The Week Ahead
On Monday the Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to take up H.B. 2283. This is the DEP rules bundle that contains the rule that proposes to restore “Category A” (drinking water) status to the section of the Kanawha River that flows through Charleston. This designation is necessary before a drinking water intake could be placed on that section of the Kanawha. More
Issues: Aluminum, Category A, Clean elections, Energy efficiency, Recycling, Water
Newsletter article Vickie Wolfe March 7, 2015
CORRECTION!
The “action alert” we sent you on Friday erroneously identified the “Category A” bill being taken up by Senate Judiciary on Monday as H.B. 2289. 2289 was “bundled” into H.B. 2283. Please use H.B. 2283 in your communications with Senate Judiciary members. More
Issues: Category A, Water
CORRECTION!
The “action alert” we sent you on Friday erroneously identified the “Category A” bill being taken up by Senate Judiciary on Monday as H.B. 2289. 2289 was “bundled” into H.B. 2283. Please use H.B. 2283 in your communications with Senate Judiciary members. More
Issues: Category A, Water
Blog, Newsletter article Rob Goodwin March 1, 2015
Stinky Deal in SB27 to Bring Trash from New Jersey to McDowell County Dies in Senate Finance Committee
The Senate Judiciary Committee passed as amended SB27 on Saturday to allow McDowell county voters to decide if they want 50,000 tons of out-of-state trash rolling in monthly by rail and disposed of in county. To attempt to avoid constitutional provisions prohibiting bills from only applying to a single county and with the intent of this bill to only apply to a single county, Sen. Hall (Wyoming ) agreed to amend the bill introduced through a committee substitute to only pertain to counties with populations less than 40,000 people. More
Issues: Solid waste
Stinky Deal in SB27 to Bring Trash from New Jersey to McDowell County Dies in Senate Finance Committee
The Senate Judiciary Committee passed as amended SB27 on Saturday to allow McDowell county voters to decide if they want 50,000 tons of out-of-state trash rolling in monthly by rail and disposed of in county. To attempt to avoid constitutional provisions prohibiting bills from only applying to a single county and with the intent of this bill to only apply to a single county, Sen. Hall (Wyoming ) agreed to amend the bill introduced through a committee substitute to only pertain to counties with populations less than 40,000 people. More
Issues: Solid waste
Newsletter article Bill Price February 28, 2015
Hearings Yes, But Listening is the Key
In the Wrap Up (on the WV State Legislature web page) for February 20th, Legislative leaders touted the number of public hearings that have been held on “bills of importance” this year. House Majority Leader Delegate Daryl Cowles (R-Morgan) said “Public hearings have long been a part of the process in the House for bills of heightened importance. This year we have had a great deal of input from citizens through the public hearing process. It is important to gather citizen input and this year we are considering numerous important bills to improve our state government- listening intently to the citizens.” I agree. But there’s a difference between “hearing” and “listening.” More
Issues: Social justice, Water
Hearings Yes, But Listening is the Key
In the Wrap Up (on the WV State Legislature web page) for February 20th, Legislative leaders touted the number of public hearings that have been held on “bills of importance” this year. House Majority Leader Delegate Daryl Cowles (R-Morgan) said “Public hearings have long been a part of the process in the House for bills of heightened importance. This year we have had a great deal of input from citizens through the public hearing process. It is important to gather citizen input and this year we are considering numerous important bills to improve our state government- listening intently to the citizens.” I agree. But there’s a difference between “hearing” and “listening.” More
Issues: Social justice, Water
Newsletter article Vickie Wolfe February 28, 2015
Roundup of the Week’s Activities
On Wednesday, "Category A" protection for the portion of the Kanawha River that flows through Charleston passed the House 85-13 and is headed to the Senate. Previously, this was S.B. 167, but it's now been bundled with other DEP rules in H.B. 2283. More... More
Issues: Aluminum, Category A, Energy efficiency, Pollution, Recycling, Water
Roundup of the Week’s Activities
On Wednesday, "Category A" protection for the portion of the Kanawha River that flows through Charleston passed the House 85-13 and is headed to the Senate. Previously, this was S.B. 167, but it's now been bundled with other DEP rules in H.B. 2283. More... More
Issues: Aluminum, Category A, Energy efficiency, Pollution, Recycling, Water
Newsletter article Conni Lewis February 28, 2015
An Unexpected Champion
Had I told you that one of our most supportive and creative legislators was a young Republican, you might have scoffed. Had I added that his father is also a well known Republican politician, you might have questioned my grip on reality. You would be wrong. More
Issues: Recycling
An Unexpected Champion
Had I told you that one of our most supportive and creative legislators was a young Republican, you might have scoffed. Had I added that his father is also a well known Republican politician, you might have questioned my grip on reality. You would be wrong. More
Issues: Recycling
Newsletter article Vickie Wolfe February 28, 2015
Update on S.B. 423, “Gutting the Aboveground Storage Tank Act”
The committee substitute for S.B. 423, “Amending the Aboveground Storage Tank Act,” passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday evening. On Saturday afternoon it passed the full Senate with only one "no" vote, and it's now headed to the House. More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, Water
Update on S.B. 423, “Gutting the Aboveground Storage Tank Act”
The committee substitute for S.B. 423, “Amending the Aboveground Storage Tank Act,” passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday evening. On Saturday afternoon it passed the full Senate with only one "no" vote, and it's now headed to the House. More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, Water
Newsletter article Bill Price February 21, 2015
Keep it Up!
My message to you this week is to keep it up. Even though it may seem that it’s not making a difference; that your one phone call to your Senator, who might not be on your side, isn’t changing their mind, do believe that collectively we make a difference. Do believe that unity can overcome money, just as de Tocqueville observed back in 1835. More
Issues: Eday, Water
Keep it Up!
My message to you this week is to keep it up. Even though it may seem that it’s not making a difference; that your one phone call to your Senator, who might not be on your side, isn’t changing their mind, do believe that collectively we make a difference. Do believe that unity can overcome money, just as de Tocqueville observed back in 1835. More
Issues: Eday, Water
Newsletter article Conni Lewis February 21, 2015
But wait! there’s more
While your intrepid lobby team and allied groups have been focused on water issues, there are other environmental concerns as well. Let me mention a few that are not receiving much attention. Sen. Carmichael is the lead sponsor of SB 482, a potentially dangerous bill regarding permits for stationary sources of air pollution, which would be a gift to the oil and gas industries. Among its worst provisions is the requirement to approve an air pollution permit within 45 days of receiving a completed permit application. DEP opposes it and so do we. More
Issues: Pollution, Recycling, Water
But wait! there’s more
While your intrepid lobby team and allied groups have been focused on water issues, there are other environmental concerns as well. Let me mention a few that are not receiving much attention. Sen. Carmichael is the lead sponsor of SB 482, a potentially dangerous bill regarding permits for stationary sources of air pollution, which would be a gift to the oil and gas industries. Among its worst provisions is the requirement to approve an air pollution permit within 45 days of receiving a completed permit application. DEP opposes it and so do we. More
Issues: Pollution, Recycling, Water