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Nov. Natural Resources Report to the State Board

Legislative Proposals

Here is the Environmental Council’s #1 2011 legislative priority – Marcellus Shale Drilling plus the need for more inspectors. Other items they will be following will be the Water Quality Standards Rule, Ending Coal Slurry Injection, Regulation of Coal Ash, and Renewable Energy Incentives.

The Water Quality Standards Rule (see state board report, September, 2010.) The League is particularly interested in seeing that the Total Dissolved Solids rule is approved by the legislature.

Marcellus shale. PROPOSED LEGISLATION (From the Charleston Gazette)

A legislative interim committee has been considering what measures the state should take to minimize environmental and social problems that come from drilling for gas in Marcellus Shale formations. The interim committee is looking at a 90-page draft law. One problem is that the state’s inspection program is tremendously under staffed so the draft proposes increasing permit fees to help ameliorate that problem. At present fees for shallow wells are $600 but the proposal would establish fees for Marcellus Shale drilling ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 per well. Obviously the natural gas drillers object to such rates saying they could cripple the industry. Legislation also will consider water pollution, water withdrawal and disposal, erosion, and road destruction.

The WV DEP is also preparing a bill similar to the committee’s draft. Both drafts require comprehensive water management plans, including listings of chemicals to be used in fracking fluids, and measures to control water consumption and waste. Both also require erosion and sediment-control plans, reclamation and replanting of disturbed lands, and the lining of large open pits, or impoundments, to prevent salt and chemicals from leaching out. But the committee’s version tackles some issues the DEP didn’t, including the spacing of wells, road protection and the performance bonds, which industry says would be a hardship on smaller companies. The DEP’s version will raise fees, too, but it is not known how much.

Continue reading Nov. Natural Resources Report to the State Board

Supreme Court Public Financing Pilot Project Press Conference

Kathy Stolz spoke on behalf of WV League of Women Voters at this press conference put together by Natalie Tennants office.  The Supreme Court public financing pilot project would provide funding to participating candidates for the 2012 Supreme Court races.

Supreme Court Public Financing Pilot Project Press Conference from SoS Natalie Tennant on Vimeo.

Special Interests

Take Action
In this year’s elections, secret money ran rampant.  Corporations and unions were able to spend unlimited amounts, without having to disclose their expenditures, to support or oppose candidates.  If we’re going to scrub our democracy clean with a strong dose of transparency that eliminates this kind of spending in our elections then we need action before Congress calls it quits for 2010.

Take action to send a critically important message to your Senators.

There is a small window of time for Congress to pass the DISCLOSE Act in its “lame-duck” session that ends in just a few weeks.  We, as concerned citizens, must take action to protect future elections. The DISCLOSE Act would empower voters by forcing groups bankrolled by anonymous donors to disclose the sources of their funding and their political spending.

Secret money has no place in our democracy.

TAKE ACTION

1. Contact your Senators now and tell them to support the DISCLOSE Act.

2. Send this alert to other concerned citizens – your grassroots network, your friends, neighbors and coworkers. Encourage them to contact their Senators today!

BACKGROUND

Learn more about what the League is doing to support campaign finance reform.

Sign up to receive Action Alerts directly by email. Don’t miss an opportunity to take action! It’s easy to sign up and the League will never share your email with others.

November Bulletin

Huntington LWV’s November bulletin.

CALENDAR

Nov. 15. 7 pm. Enslow Park Presbyterian Church. Health Care in WV

Dec. 7. 11:30. Bates Presbyterian Church. Strengthening our Membership.

Jan. 17. noon. Ponderosa. Preventing Medicare Fraud and LWVWV legislative priorities

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