Black Lives Matter Rally Sunday in Charleston, WV

Black Lives Matter Rally
5 – 7: 30 p.m., Sunday, August 20
at the WV State Capitol
We wanted to make certain you know about this rally, sponsored by Black Lives Matter WV and CARE, the Call to Action for Racial Equality. Check for updates on the Facebook event invite page here. 

OVEC’s suggested reading for before the rally:
For white allies of Black Lives Matter, good intentions aren’t enough
10 Ways White People Can Help Make Black Lives Matter
For White People Who Believe Black Lives Matter
If you’re striving to take steps towards being a white ally but you don’t know where to start, you can look into Safety Pin Box.

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Charlottesville, Trump and Resistance
Newsfeeds and social media are lit up with reaction to what happened in Charlottesville. So much has been written and said, much of it eloquently spot on. 

For instance, on August 16, the Charleston Gazette-Mail ran an op-ed, “Myth of white supremacy is out in the open,” by Jim McKay, director of Prevent Child Abuse West Virginia.

Black Lives Matter issued a statement: ‘Charlottesville Is A Confirmation’ Of The Everyday Violence Black People Endure

Democracy Now! interviewed Ta-Nehisi Coates on Charlottesville, Trump, the Confederacy, Reparations & More

And late-night comedy hosts have had some utterly scathing critiques of what’s going down. Late Night’s Seth Myers issued an excellent video statement, and Late Night writer Amber Ruffin allowed us into her safe space.

While Trump is not busy condemning white supremacists and Nazis flooding the streets, he is busy rolling back regulations put in place to check corporate greed and protect American citizens on all manner of fronts.   

In Trump’s Government, The ‘Regulated Have Become The Regulators’

Trump’s EPA May Be Weakening Chemical Safety Law

EPA plans to rewrite Obama-era limits for coal power plant wastewater 

Trump’s New FERC Commissioner Rob Powelson Accepted Gifts from Energy Industry as State Regulator

Inside the Fight to Advance Environmental Justice in the Time of Trump

Scott Pruitt Is Carrying Out His E.P.A. Agenda in Secret, Critics Say

What can you do? Plenty of ways to resist! Show up, turn out, speak up, call, write letters to the editor, take the e-actions in the sidebar right here, follow us and other groups on Twitter and Facebook, check our daily news page, especially under the red AA icon.

And, do all you can to guard your physical and mental health. Take time to tune out the news and social media, to talk with your neighbors, your faith-based family, and relax however you can. Create your own safe space, and grow that to include others, especially those who don’t feel safe. We are in there with you, trying to build up love and tear down hate! 

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Speak up on Mountaintop Removal’s Health ImpactsAs we have noted in a couple of earlier action alerts this year, the National Academy of Sciences is undertaking a review of existing research on links between mountaintop removal coal mining and health risks. The next public comment meeting will be held on Monday, Aug. 21 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Perry County Public Library in Hazard, Ky.

On Tuesday, Aug. 22, the NAS will host a panel of scientists and state regulators in Lexington, Ky. This session will be from 12:45 to 5:00 p.m. at the Griffin Gate Marriott and is open to the public.

You are welcome to join either session, but attending the public comment session on Monday will be most impactful. Especially if you have been directly impacted by mining, consider sharing information you have, such as well water data, air pollution issues or personal health impacts.

Representatives from member groups of The Alliance for Appalachia (of which OVEC is a member group) and allies will be attending. Folks from these groups will be available on Monday at 5:30 p.m. to provide suggested talking points to those who want to speak during the town hall.

Can’t attend the meetings? Submit your comments online today!

Back in June, we assembled a blog with some links and video to help you make your comments. If you haven’t made comments yet, we do hope you will do so today. 

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Upcoming Events
Check our online calendar for more events and updates.

Click here for details on PSC’s upcoming Public Comment Hearings on FirstEnergy’s bad deal for West Virginia. If you can’t attend a hearing, please send this fax.

September 9: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. with lunch provided: Stream testing training at the OVEC office. Space limited, You must be willing to help with monthly stream sampling in one of the five counties we have included in this program. Contact robin@ohvec.org for details and registration.

October 7: Save the date for our annual picnic for members and supporters, this time at the Barboursville Park. We’ll continue celebrating our 30th anniversary with music, picnic fixin’s, and good company. This year, tentative plans include a morning 5K run/walk and a bike ride, too. We’ll have more details soon, but for now, do save the date!

October 21: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. OVEC’s Tri-State Water Defense Citizen Summit. Limited space. Contact Robin Blakeman at robin@ohvec.org or 304-522-0246 for more details, including registration information.

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