League members: Here is an update to let you know what the League is doing in West Virginia. If you do not wish to receive these occasional messages, please reply and you will be taken off the circulation list. If you are changing your street address or your email, please send the new ones to the state treasurer, tbyler@suddenlink.net so that you can keep informed.
LEAGUE ACTION
- The League of WV joined 40 citizen groups to send a letter of protest to Governor Jim Justice and Environmental Protection Secretary Austin Caperton to object to the firing of the Department’s environmental advocate Wendy Radcliff. The letter said that they were deeply troubled that Caperton would take such action without input from the environmental community and the citizens who turn to that office for assistance in dealing with the complex regulatory programs of the agency. See http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news-politics/20170131/amid-protests-from-citizens-caperton-hires-new-dep-environmental-advocate
- The League opposed the proposed purchase of the Pleasants power plant that is currently operating in a deregulated electricity market where it is struggling to compete against less expensive power sources. The League firmly opposes this new attempt by First Energy to offload this plant to our regulated market because of debt the company has acquired due to their own lack of foresight in the transitioning energy markets.
- The state league added our name to WV Rivers Coalition on a stormwater permit on Rover Pipeline. The league believes that all pipelines should have a complete and thorough permit applications in order to prevent as much land and water pollution as possible.
- The state board of directors has joined in a coalition with WV SUN (WV Solar United Neighborhoods), a nonprofit group which forms solar cooperatives in WV. These cooperatives expand access to solar by educating West Virginians about the benefits of distributed solar energy, helping them organize group solar installations, and strengthening West Virginia’s solar policies and its community of solar supporters. There are at least five solar cooperatives in our state. For more information, click on http://www.wvsun.org/.
NEWS of INTEREST in WV
- The new Secretary of State fired 16 people, including the head of the Elections Division and two others in the division. The League believes this will leave voters without a reasonable means of making their questions or concerns about voting known.
STATE LEAGUE CONVENTION
- You are invited to attend the state league convention on Saturday, May 6, in Parkersburg. Any league member in WV may attend, and our four local leagues are encouraged to send delegates to make decision for the next biennium.