NEWS FROM THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE W. V. EVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL OF SEPTEMBER
29 & 30.
Bill McGlinchey was there for much of Saturday and gave a fine presentation
on alternative fuel vehicles. Coincidentally, we learned that the Governor,
in an address to the Southeast Governor's Association this weekend, was to
announce a comprehensive energy proposal. It had been drafted by Allan
Tweddle, long associated with the WVEC and I think maybe on the WVIGCCC Steering
Committee early on. In it the Governor was to declare that WV has a goal of
becoming independent of "foreign oil" in year 2020 (I think that was the date)
and a mechanism was by re-birthing the Public Energy Authority which, in
fact, has the authority to go into the energy business itself. Allan is one of
the 7 members, including 4 citizen members. Anyway, there was a lot of
excitement about this even though we know that Manchin has coal at heart.
The council adopted a "renewable energy campaign" as one of its legislative
priorities last year. Among the legislative/administrative implementation
steps this year are:
1. Restoring the tax credit for hybrid vehicles.
2. Adopting more stringent fleet standards for state-owned vehicles.
(It was noted that fewer cars are being purchased, more leased but there can be
fuel efficiency conditions in the leases.)
3. Financial incentives for a) installation of energy-efficient
technology for homes, businesses, etc. probably in the form of tax benefits, and b)
training and certifying installers of energy-efficient technology (This could
be via $$ to unions for workforce development to bring them on board and to
increase jobs.)
4. Requiring all rules proposed by DEP to include a public health
assessment. (Not really directly on our "screen" but if greenhouse gases were
regulated, they would fall under this as well.) A bill was introduced last year
with 11 sponsors; this will be long in coming but is being stimulated by
efforts to at least get a study on the health impacts of air-borne mercury which
is supported by the Nurses Ass'n. and others.
The other "good news" was that there has already been a first step to
Morgantown becoming a "cool city" in that the Mayor has signed a "proclamation"
calling on mayors to sign on to the U.N.'s "Urban Environmental Accords" and to
implement them. It says "We commit...to build an ecologically sustainable,
economically dynamic, and socially equitable future for our urban
citizens;...."
The WVU Student Sierra Club has the "cool cities" designation as a priority
and Council-member Don Spencer gave a presentation about how to go about
getting the council to go the next steps. He pointed out that, although we
would love to have the "environmental good" as their motivation, we will get
response easier if we emphasize financial aspects, i.e., cost-savings. Such
savings are already being realized by cities among the 300+ that have signed on
to the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Spencer was given our
contact list and asked to be included on it.
Speaking of savings, Bill urged those present to approach their Boards of
Education to switch to bio-diesel fuel which takes no conversion of the diesel
buses and gives them a higher reimbursement for transportation costs from the
State BOE. Mon County has come out $70,000 ahead in their 3rd year of being
on bio-diesel.
I have joined the WVEC as an individual member and will recommend our group
join as it is fundamentally a coalition of organizations. I believe we can
work with them as they have lobbyist(s) during the sessions and who work
year-round. The Sierra Club is a good opportunity to connect with young people
and to support them so they will assume their leadership roles as we fade into
the sunset! or just get tired!
The other neat thing was that Nate Webster's brother, Dan, and his friend
Ryan came from their college on Saturday afternoon. There were students from
WVU and Shepherdstown who contributed a lot to the meeting.
The next regular monthly meeting of the WV Interfaith Global Climate Change
Campaign will be Tuesday, October 12, at 7 p.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church
on Patteson Drive across from Hardy's.
Mary Rehmann, Interfaith Global Climate Change Campaign
[THANK YOU, MARY, FOR SHARING THIS SUMMARY. THE MON VALLEY CLEAN AIR
COALITION IS A MEMBER ORGANIZATION OF THE WV ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL.]
