Hello,
Please pass this information along to your membership list. Thanks so much. Chuck Wyrostok, Sierra Club WV ============================================================ Public Hearing Reminder with Clarksburg Hearing Details
The Legislature's Select Committee on Marcellus held its first public hearing last week in Wheeling. More than 100 people attended, and of the nearly 40 speakers, the majority supported stronger regulations. You can read and watch coverage of the hearing _here_ (http://theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/557298/Marcellus-Drillers... v=515) , _here_ (http://theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/557299/Participants-Tell-...) and _here_ (http://www.wtov9.com/video/28629163/index.html) . There are two more opportunities to share your concerns in person and let legislators know what you would like to see in a bill to regulate natural gas drilling in West Virginia. Here are the details for this week's public hearings:
Monday, July 25 in Morgantown ~ 7:30PM at the West Virginia University College of Law
Wednesday, July 27 in Clarksburg ~ 7:30PM in the auditorium at Robert C. Byrd High School The Select Committee is specifically looking for language or issues to include in a bill. WV Sierra Club’s Position Paper (attached) contains many of the specific issues that need to be addressed. One approach might be for each speaker to address one or two of the issues with other speakers addressing the others. It is important to make sure that every one of needs is supported publicly, if time allows. We don’t want to waste time by needlessly duplicating statements. These public hearings are scheduled to last only 90 minutes, and the amount of time allotted to individual speakers will be allocated according to how many citizens want to speak. So get there early and sign up. It is important to continue asking for a moratorium on Marcellus drilling until stringent rules are in place to protect citizens and the environment. Enforcement of those rules by sufficient DEP staff is equally essential. If you are unable to attend, please contact members of the select committee today. Senators: Doug Facemire, D-Braxton, Chair douglas.facemire@wvsenate.gov Home: 304 765 2231 Biz: 304 364 9903 Capitol: 304 357 7845 Karen Facemeyer R-Jackson karen.facemyer@wvsenate.gov Home: 304 372 2260 Biz: 304 428 1622 Capitol: 304 357 7855 Corey Polumbo D-Kanawha corey.palumbo@wvsenate.gov Home: 304 746 7933 Biz: 304 347 1781 Capitol: 304 357 7880 Herb Snyder D-Jefferson herb.snyder@wvsenate.gov Home: 304 725 4529 Biz: 304 725 6174 Capitol: 304 357 7957 Orphy Klempa D-Ohio orphy.klempa@wvsenate.gov Home: 304 242 9200 Biz: 304 233 2500 Capitol: 304 357 7918 Delegates: Tim Manchin, D-Marion, Chair tmanchin@manchin-aloi.com Home: 304 363 5613 Biz: 304 367 1862 Capitol: 304 340 3166 Barbara Fleischauer D-Monongalia barbaraf@wvhouse.gov Home: NA Biz: 304 296 7035 Capitol: 304 340 3169 Tom Campbell, D-Greenbrier tcampbell@grcs.com Home: 304 793 3976 Biz: 304 793 3976 Capitol: 304 340 3280 Woody Ireland, R-Ritchie woody.ireland@wvhouse.gov Home: 304 349 2957 Biz: NA Capitol 304 340 3195 Bill Anderson, R-Wood bill.anderson@wvhouse.gov Home: 304 375 7880 Biz: NA Capitol 304 340 3168 Collectively, here are the email addresses for all ten: _douglas.facemire@wvsenate.gov_ (mailto:douglas.facemire@wvsenate.gov) ; _karen.facemyer@wvsenate.gov_ (mailto:karen.facemyer@wvsenate.gov) ; _corey.palumbo@wvsenate.gov_ (mailto:corey.palumbo@wvsenate.gov) ; _herb.snyder@wvsenate.gov_ (mailto:herb.snyder@wvsenate.gov) ; _orphy.klempa@wvsenate.gov_ (mailto:orphy.klempa@wvsenate.gov) ; _tmanchin@manchin-aloi.com_ (mailto:tmanchin@manchin-aloi.com) ; _barbaraf@wvhouse.gov_ (mailto:barbaraf@wvhouse.gov) ; _tcampbell@grcs.com_ (mailto:tcampbell@grcs.com) ; _woody.ireland@wvhouse.gov_ (mailto:woody.ireland@wvhouse.gov) ; _bill.anderson@wvhouse.gov_ (mailto:bill.anderson@wvhouse.gov) You can also call legislators’ Capitol offices Toll Free at 1-877-565-3447. Here are the top needs for a meaningful Marcellus bill: 1. Advance public notice of all stages in permitting and drilling 2. Adequate permit fees and bonding amounts 3. Protection of surface owners’ property and rights 4. Water withdrawal and disposal monitoring and permitting to protect streams and rivers 5. Enhance inspection of casing/cementing as critical for groundwater protection 6. Full protection of all water wells, with adequate setbacks and testing 7. Increased funding for more inspectors to assure safe practices 8. Reform method of certifying and selecting new gas inspectors 9. Removal and proper disposal of drilling pits 10. Disclosure of fracking fluid contents and safety plans for accidents 11. Protect public lands: state parks, wildlife areas, and state forests Please see attachment for a detailed “Essential Elements Needed for Regulation and Enforcement of Marcellus and Other Gas Wells”. Feel free to print and distribute copies to legislators and concerned citizens. Acting Governor Earl Ray Tomblin has said publicly that he would call a Special Session to deal with a Marcellus bill if the House and Senate could reach agreement on a bill. Make sure your ideas are part of that agreement. Thank you for taking action. Chuck Wyrostok Sierra Club Outreach Organizer Toll free 877 252 0257 E: outreach@marcellus-wv.com www.marcellus-wv.com