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.]