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 Healthcare workers with Cabin Creek Health Systems pose for a picture while tabling at Black Policy Day 2025. Photographed for the West Virginia Legislature by Will Price. Hi {contact.email_greeting}, Last week, we shut the door on the first month of the year, and while it’s hard to believe February is already here, we’re excited about all of the events and opportunities this month! There are many great ways to connect with other environmentally-conscious West Virginians, including Charleston Green Drinks, West Virginians for Energy Freedom’s Canvassing Lunch & Learn, and quite a few advocacy days at the Capitol. Our lobbyists, Lucia Valentine and Kasey Russell, had another busy week under the dome. We’re tracking well over 100 bills between the House and Senate. From data centers to flood resiliency, a lot happened this week at the Capitol. It was an especially eventful week for public lands. Lucia and Kasey report the specifics in this week’s legislative roundup.  Caption: Marsh lands in Dolly Sods are an important part of our state’s environmental resiliency. Photo taken from the Nature Photographer Team at forestwander.com. World Wetlands Day was February 2nd. Wetlands are crucial parts of a thriving environment. They act like filters, purifying freshwater sources and collecting excess carbon. Healthy wetlands are an essential element of climate mitigation. It’s essential to the health and safety of every ecosystem that wetlands thrive. Unfortunately, wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests, making it even more important for folks like YOU to learn more about these natural wonders and how you can help protect them. Read more in “Climate resiliency lives in the bog”. Lawmakers continued to prioritize data center developers over their constituents. Read more about it from West Virginia Watch and the Charleston Gazette-Mail. Reverend Brad Davis wrote about the urgent need for clean water infrastructure in the southern coalfields in his Op-Ed for the Gazette, “Coalfield Clean Water Act a repair bill long overdue”. Rev. Davis runs From Below: Rising Together for Coalfield Justice alongside his co-director, Reverend Caitlin Ware, who we interviewed for “Coalfield communities demand action and funding for clean water this legislative session” last week in our last newsletter. If you enjoy these weekly newsletters, consider donating a few dollars to help us continue to work towards our mission. You can donate online here. Click an article title or thumbnail image to read the full article (text below is only an excerpt). |
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