Please pass this information along to your membership list. Thanks so much.

Chuck Wyrostok, Sierra Club WV

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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, here and here. 

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; karen.facemyer@wvsenate.gov; corey.palumbo@wvsenate.gov;

herb.snyder@wvsenate.gov; orphy.klempa@wvsenate.gov; tmanchin@manchin-aloi.com;

barbaraf@wvhouse.gov; tcampbell@grcs.com; woody.ireland@wvhouse.gov;

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