Wellness and Water 2013 WV Wesleyan College Buckhannon West Virginia
Wellness and Water 2013
June 29 – 30, 3013 ~ WV Wesleyan College, Buckhannon, WV
Plenary Speakers, Panelists & Workshop Leaders:
Yuri Gorby, Associate Professor, Blitman Chair in Environmental Engineering
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Yuri Gorby earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Bethany College, and his doctoral degree in microbiology from the University of New Hampshire. He served as a National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow at the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, VA, and the U.S. Department of Energy-funded Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, WA. Prior to joining Rensselaer, he served as an assistant professor at the J. Craig Venter Institute, a nonprofit genomics institute in San Diego and Department of Marine and Environmental Biology at the University of Southern California. His interdisciplinary research is at the nexus of environmental engineering and biology. He is an accomplished microbial physiologist and bioprocess engineer who, in his work, embraces the use of controlled cultivation to understand the fundamental properties of bacteria for a range of applications. These include remediating contaminated water, developing alternative energy resources, and mitigating the impact of microbes on corrosion. Contact: Yuri Gory, ygorby@gmail.com
Marc Glass, Principle, Downstream Strategies, Morgantown, WV
Mr. Glass has over twelve years of experience in environmental consulting and management. He is skilled in the evaluation and remediation of environmental contamination. His experience includes Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments, petroleum and chlorinated solvent site investigations, design and installation of monitoring well networks, aquifer testing, asbestos and biological remediation and project supervision, preparation of facility Spill Prevention Plans for above-ground and underground storage tank facilities, and mold investigation and remediation.
Contact: Marc Glass, mglass@downstreamstrategies.com, (304) 292-2450
Rob Goodwin, Coordinator, Citizens’ Enforcement Project
Coal River Mountain Watch, Whitesville, WV
Rob Goodwin grew up in the Adirondack Mountains of Northern New York State and received a B.S. in Surveying Engineering Technology from the University of Maine in 2009. He then moved to WV as a volunteer with Coal River Mountain Watch, a WV Non-profit that has a mission to stop the destruction of WV communities and environment by mountaintop removal mining, to improve the quality of life in WV and to help rebuild sustainable communities. Early in 2010, Rob started the citizens’ enforcement project with Coal River Mountain Watch with a goal of connecting with citizens adversely affected by the impacts of coal mining in Southern, WV. Since 2010, the work of the citizen enforcement project has consulted with dozens of citizens across the state to help them navigate the frustrating processes that citizens have at their disposal to address mining impacts. Frequent Black water spills, dust, blasting and a looming threat of flooding in the area are all issues that citizens are using the tools at their disposal in efforts to have their concerns addressed. Contact: Rob Goodwin, rob@crmw.net, (304)-854-2182
Brian Oram, BF Environmental Consultants, Dallas, PA and Carbon County Groundwater Guardians
Brian Oram is a licensed professional geologist and soil scientist with over 20 years experience in applied earth and environmental sciences. He has conducted research and consulting projects related to acid mine drainage ( AMD ), mine drainage, lake and stream monitoring programs, wetland creation and monitoring, filtration plant performance evaluations, testing new point of use water treatment devices and systems, hydrogeological evaluations, geological investigations, soils testing, soil morphological evaluations, water well drilling and construction, drinking water testing, mail order water testing kit program, private well water testing programs, and land reclamation. He has also been involved with Citizen Monitoring and other Environmental Training Programs for groups within the United States, Europe, and the former Soviet Union. Brian also works with a private well owner education outreach group and a regional RC&D Council. Contact: Brian Oram, bfenviro@ptd.net, (570)-335-1947
Leslie Fields, Program Director
Sierra Club Environmental Justice & Community Partnerships, Washington, DC
Leslie Fields has worked extensively on natural resource extraction issues on an international level, as well as on climate change and water privatization. In addition to her work with the Sierra Club she is also an adjunct professor at Howard University School of Law, co-teaching international environmental law. She formerly served as International Director of Friends of the Earth-U.S., and has worked with community groups, nonprofits, the private sector and all levels of government.
Contact: Office: Leslie Fields, leslie.fields@sierraclub.org, (202)-548-4586
Elisa Young, Founder, Meigs Citizens Action Now, Racine, OH
Elisa Young is an environmental activist from Racine, OH. She lives on farmland that has been her family for 7 generations. She originally dreamed of starting a sustainable living and teaching center and farming organically, but found herself embroiled in coalfield struggles. With four power plants visible from their farm, her community has the highest asthma and lung cancer death rate in the state, the shortest life expectancy, and are in the top 3rd percentile for the worst air quality in the nation. When five more plants were proposed, threatening to make her community the largest concentration of coal-fired power plants in the nation (nine within an 11.5-mile radius) she founded the grassroots community group, Meigs Citizens Action Now! More recently she has been concerned with the potential impacts associated with horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing in Ohio, particularly the issues and risks associated with waste injection wells. Contact: Elisa Young, elisayoung1@yahoo.com
Grant Smith, Energy Policy Analyst, Civil Society Institute, Newton, MA
Grant Smith has been an energy policy analyst with the Civil Society Institute since June 2011. Prior to joining CSI, he was employed by the Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana (CAC). At CAC, he served as ED from 2004 to 2011, as energy and utilities director from 1998 to 2004, and as environmental coordinator from 1986 to 1998. His responsibilities at CAC included organizing, research and writing, lobbying and media work. He began at CAC as a canvasser. From 2006 to 2011, he advised CSI on energy policy issues. Contact: Grant Smith, gssmith5123@gmail.com, (317)-442-8802
Dave Hanna, Onsite Training Director, New Visions Renewable Energy, Philippi, WV
Dave Hanna is Onsite Training Director for New Visions Renewable Energy. He is also a member of their technical team, which helps community members become knowledgeable with the concepts and principles of renewable energy systems and provided assistance on how to build and install electrical and/or hot water solar systems for their home or community facility. New Visions is a growing grassroots, community-based organization working to ReEnergize communities to implement renewable energy solutions. New Vision is an educational and innovation movement focusing on applicable technologies within the emerging “green” economy and serving as a hub of collaborative discussion, training and invention bringing together green innovators, community leaders, youth, companies, organizations as well as public and private partners.
Contact: New Visions Renewable Energy, info@NVRE.org, (304) 457 2971
Sam Malone, Manager of Science & Communications, FracTracker, Pittsburgh, PA
Sam Malone has worked with FracTracker since its inception in 2010 as a project of CHEC at the University of Pittsburgh. With FracTracker, she provides user and partner support, coordinates internal and external communications, and conducts and translates environmental health research for the website. She also manages FracTracker’s student internship program. Sam obtained a master of public health degree from Pitt’s Graduate School of Public Health and is currently working on a doctorate of public health from the school’s Environmental and Occupational Health department. In July 2011, she was awarded a U.S. State Department and Duquesne University travel grant, where she spent a month in Ghana participating in the Emerging Leaders’ Extraction and Environment Program. Recently, Sam was appointed to the City of Pittsburgh’s Propel Pittsburgh Commission and serves on its Environment committee. Contact: Sam Malone, malone@fractracker.org, (412)-802-0273
Aaron Sutch, Energy Program Manager
The Mountain Institute (Appalachian Program), Morgantown, WV
Aaron Sutch is based in Morgantown and specializes in energy and resource management. He started out as a classroom teacher and zoological education specialist. Prior to joining The Mountain Institute he worked for the Alliance to Save Energy in the Green Schools and Green Campus programs. He also served as an Energy Storage Fellow at Technology Transition Corporation and interned at Solar Costa Rica, S.A. in San José Costa Rica. He completed his undergraduate work in Languages and Linguistics at Florida Atlantic University and received dual M.A.’s in International Affairs and Natural Resources, and Sustainable Development-Energy Policy from the American University School of International Service and United Nations University for Peace. Contact: Aaron Sutch, asutch@mountain.org
Laura Rigell, Swarthmore Divestment Campaign, Swarthmore, PA
Laura Rigell just finished her first year at Swarthmore College, where she is a member of Swarthmore Mountain Justice. This student group is campaigning for divestment from fossil fuels. In 2011, Swarthmore students launched the first such campaign in the county. Before starting at Swarthmore, Laura took a gap year to co-found the Tennessee Youth Environmental Network, a coalition of high school environmental clubs, in her home state. This summer, she is working as an intern with Coal River Mountain Watch to make conservation easements more accessible in southern West Virginia. At Swarthmore, Laura is designing a major titled “Sustainable Land Use,” and hopes to work on land reform in the future. Contact: Laura Rigell, laura.rigell@gmail.com, (865) 254-3289
Saturday Evening Entertainment
East Run Bluegrass Band, Doddridge County, WV
East Run started in 1997 and is based in Doddridge County, West Virginia. They have been playing fairs, festivals, parties, bars and halls all over West Virginia and beyond for the past ten years. Over the years an eclectic mix of bluegrass based music has emerged. In the past, all the members have performed in bands spanning many genres of music, such as blues, rock, country, heavy metal, jam bands, punk and swing. Jeff Powell (Guitar) has played with many notable bands, and has written many of East Run’s original tunes. Wayne Woods (Banjo) is originally from Taylor County, WV and got started in music playing bluegrass with his father, Neil Woods. Wayne sings lead vocal on many tunes. Chris Rossi is a talented mandolin player from Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Chris is a disciplined player with a style drawing from New Grass, Swing and Southern Rock. With the addition of WV music veteran Rus Reppert on bass, the music is evolving into new sounds and dimensions.
Contact: Wayne Woods, wcwoods0000@aol.com, (304) 782-3054
Contact Information for Conference Sponsors
Doddridge County Watershed AssociationChristina Woods, mchrisw40@aol.com, (304) 782-3054
Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition (www.ohvec.org)
Robin Blakeman, robin@ohvec.org, (304)-840-4877
Sierra Club (westvirginia.sierraclub.org) Bill Price, bill.price@sierraclub.org, (304)-389-8822
West Virginia Highlands Conservancy (www.wvhighlands.org)
Cindy Rank, clrank2@gmail.com, (304)-924-5802
WV Surface Owners’ Right Organization (www.wvsoro.org)
Julie Archer, julie@wvsoro.org, (304)-346-5891
Additional Resources
frackcheckwv.net/ ~ FrackCheckWV.net was created as a platform for educating citizens about the environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing and providing tools and guidance for effective citizen action and advocacy. The editors of this site are volunteers with watershed and conservation groups in both West Virginia and neighboring states.
One of our Presentations For West Virginia
Education Booklet for Private Well Owners (Proceeds Support Groundwater Education in Pennsylvania)
E.P.A. Official Seeks to Block West Virginia Mine
E.P.A. Official Seeks to Block West Virginia Mine
By JOHN M. BRODER
Published: October 15, 2010
WASHINGTON — A top federal regulator has recommended revoking the permit for one of the nation’s largest planned mountaintop removal mining projects, saying it would be devastating to miles of West Virginia streams and the plant and animal life they support.
In a report submitted last month and made public on Friday, Shawn M. Garvin, the Environmental Protection Agency’s regional administrator for the Mid-Atlantic, said that Arch Coal’s proposed Spruce No. 1 Mine in Logan County should be stopped because it “would likely have unacceptable adverse effects on wildlife.”
In 2007, the Bush administration approved the project, which would involve dynamiting the tops off mountains over 2,278 acres to get at the coal beneath while dumping the resulting rubble, known as spoil, into nearby valleys and streams. The Obama administration announced last year that it would review the decision, prompting the mine owner, Arch Coal, based in St. Louis, to sue.
In its review, the E.P.A. found that the project would bury more than seven miles of the Pigeonroost Branch and Oldhouse Branch streams under 110 million cubic yards of spoil, killing everything in them and sending downstream a flood of contaminants, toxic substances and life-choking algae.
Kim Link, a spokeswoman for Arch Coal, said in a statement that the company intended to “vigorously” challenge the recommendation.
“If the E.P.A. proceeds with its unlawful veto of the Spruce permit — as it appears determined to do — West Virginia’s economy and future tax base will suffer a serious blow,” Ms. Link said. She said the company planned to spend $250 million on the project, creating 250 jobs and tens of millions of dollars in tax revenues in a struggling region
“Beyond that, every business in the nation would be put on notice that any lawfully issued permit — Clean Water Act 404 or otherwise — can be revoked at any time according to the whims of the federal government,” she said, referring to the federal law under which the original permit was granted. “Clearly, such a development would have a chilling impact on future investment and job creation.”
The E.P.A. said the construction of waste ponds as well as other discharges from the Spruce No. 1 mining operation would spread pollutants beyond the boundaries of the mine itself, causing further damage to wildlife and the environment.
Arch Coal had proposed to construct new streams to replace the buried rivers, but the E.P.A. said they could not reproduce the numbers and variety of fish and plant life supported by the indigenous streams.
An E.P.A. spokesman said that Mr. Garvin’s recommendation was a step in a long process and that the agency’s Office of Water and the E.P.A. administrator, Lisa P. Jackson, would review his report and thousands of public comments before making the final decision, likely before the end of the year.
The Sierra Club applauded the E.P.A. for “staring down Big Coal and industry lobbyists.”
“This mother of all mountaintop removal coal mines would destroy thousands of acres of land, bury seven miles of streams and end a way of life for too many Appalachian families,” the Sierra Club’s executive director, Michael Brune, said in a statement.