> From: "Chuck Wyrostok" <wyro(a)appalight.com>
> Date: July 29, 2014
> Subject: Hop On The Bus to Pittsburgh This Thursday, July 31 EPA Hearing, Rally, Comments
>
> The U.S. EPA needs to hear from you
>
> They recently proposed a "Clean Power Plan," that goes a long way to cleaning up the nasty emissions from coal-fired power plants. The fossil fools in the coal industry are freaked out and fighting back. Let’s show our elected officials that people in the Appalachian region are serious about moving to cleaner energy sources that will revitalize communities and protect our waters from the devastating impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining and dangerous fossil fuels.
>
> Every single one of us deserves to have our voices heard on this issue. We are impacted whether we live near a mountaintop removal site or a coal-fired power plant or a Marcellus fracking site.
>
> While the rules will greatly reduce CO2 emissions, they encourage other dirty energy sources such as fracked gas and nuclear. They don’t address coal exports or the health impacts of mountaintop removal. And, get this… the plan leaves the specifics of compliance up to the individual states, such as West Virginia, where most leaders are stuck in a 20th century mindset.
>
> EPA is having hearings around the country, including this Thursday in Pittsburgh
> Show the EPA you want Climate Action Now! The Sierra Club has Climate Action Buses leaving from towns in Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania early on the morning of July 31, this Thursday. The buses will arrive in Pittsburgh while one of the hearings is going on there, delivering you to a noon Climate Action Now rally right near the hearing location. The hearing is at the William S. Moorhead Federal Building, Room #1310, 1000 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh (map)
>
> Unless you have already registered to testify, all the spots are taken. However, you do not have to speak at the hearing to take the bus. Sierra Club will be taking video testimony outside the hearing in order to submit that to the EPA.
>
> Buses depart from Cleveland OH (stopping in Akron), Columbus OH (the Wheeling, WV stop has been cancelled), WV Bus (Leaving Charleston 6AM stopping in Weston, Clarksburg, and Morgantown WV), Harrisburg PA, State College PA
>
> If you plan to ride the West Virginia bus originating in Charleston, please call Sierra Club’s Bill Price at 304 389 8822 to reserve your seat. Spots are filling up quickly.
>
> Here’s the Charleston-Pittsburgh schedule:
>
> Charleston: 5:15 AM Departure from Kanawha Mall, McCorkle Ave., Kanawha City; please arrive by 5 AM
>
> Weston: 7 AM Departure from the Market Place Mall/Shopping Center; get there by 6:45 AM
>
> Clarksburg: 8 AM Departure from the Meadowbrook Mall; get there by 7:45 AM
>
> Morgantown: 9 AM Departure from the Morgantown Mall; get there by 8:45 AM
>
> Bus will depart Pittsburgh at approximately 6 PM for return trip.
>
> Whether you’re going to Pittsburgh or not, please tell the EPA to retain the good parts of the proposal, such as promoting efficiency and renewable energy, drop the dirty fuels support, and put some real teeth in the rules. EPA has already heard from nearly 300,000 people. Please comment online. Written comments are due by October 16.
>
> Come to Pittsburgh.
>
> It doesn’t matter where you live, global warming impacts you. And it certainly matters what we do about it as a nation.
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> Chuck Wyrostok
> Outreach Organizer
> Sierra Club, WV Chapter
> T: 877 252 0257
> E. outreach(a)marcellus-wv.com
> www.marcellus-wv.com
>
> Water is Life...Keep It Clean
>
> Whenever there is a huge spill of solar energy, it's just called a nice day.....
>
Nature Conservancy’s W.Va. director resigns
Jul. 21, 2014 @ 09:37 AM
_The Associated Press_
(http://www.herald-dispatch.com/archive/x298797465/The-Associated-Press)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The longtime director of the Nature Conservancy’
s West Virginia chapter has resigned.
Rodney Bartgis had led the state chapter for 12 years. He left his
position on Friday.
The 54-year-old Bartgis tells The Charleston Gazette that the Nature
Conservancy’s West Virginia chapter recently completed two multimillion-dollar
conservation projects. He says it’s a good time for him to step back and
think about what he wants to do for the rest of his career.
The recent projects are the acquisition of a segment of the Cheat Canyon
and the acquisition of property in Randolph County.
> From: Rodney Bartgis <rbartgis(a)TNC.ORG>
> Date: July 8, 2014 4:54:16 PM EDT
> To: <Duane330(a)aol.com>, >roddj(a)hotmail.com>, <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu>, <achester(a)hsc.wvu.edu>
> Cc: Beth Wheatley <ewheatley(a)TNC.ORG>
> Subject: Transition
>
> After working so closely with all of you on the Cheat Canyon project, I wanted to let you all know that after more than 20 years with The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia (which is so hard for me to believe!) and 12 as state director, I am stepping down July 18th. I will stay involved in land conservation in WV as the (volunteer) chair of the Outdoor Heritage Conservation Fund, the state program that helped fund Cheat Canyon. I am going to take time to step back and reflect upon what I want to do next in my career – perhaps take on another role with TNC or maybe head in a different conservation direction. Regardless, I have had a most rewarding career and a wonderful journey so far. Completing the protection of Cheat Canyon has been a huge part of that and I want to thank all of you for what you have done to help save the canyon.
>
> While my office phone and email will change, my cell (below) will stay the same. West Virginia Nature Conservancy has a terrific staff and its future is in great hands. Should you have any Conservancy questions, please feel free to reach out to Beth Wheatley (copied) and always feel free to reach out to me directly whenever! Warmest regards, Rodney
> Please consider the environment before printing this email
> Rodney Bartgis
> Director
>
> rbartgis(a)tnc.org
> (304) 637-0160 Ext. 103 (Phone)
> (304) 704-6455 cell
> nature.org
>
> The Nature Conservancy
> West Virginia Field Office
> 194 Airport Road
> Elkins, WV 26241
>
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