Our Work: Issues and Programs

Defend Our Water: Much of OVEC’s work revolves around protecting water, whether the focus is on coal or oil- and gas-related pollution, or on educating the public, and the WV State Legislature.

Climate Change: Much of OVEC’s work is about addressing climate change by curbing pollution from fossil fuels and working to stop the expansion of the petrochemical industry in our region.  

Deep Shale Oil & Gas, Pipelines, Appalachian Gas Storage Hub/Petrochemical Complex: To protect our air, land, water, and communities from the adverse effects of deep shale oil and gas drilling (fracking) activities, OVEC works with individuals, allied organizations, attorneys, and the media.

Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining: To protect human health, communities, streams, and forests from mountaintop removal coal mining, we organize, educate, and litigate. We work with regional and national allies to overcome the coal industry’s legacy of pollution and impoverished communities.

Clean Elections/Fair Courts/Judicial Independence: Early on in our work to address environmental problems, OVEC recognized the need to address a root cause of every issue we tackle: special interest money in politics. We co-lead West Virginia Citizens for Clean Elections.

Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Economic Transition: OVEC promotes increased energy efficiency by promoting key legislation, and by working with homeowners, faith communities, businesses and others. We also promote locally owned renewable energy, essential for the transition to a sustainable economy in Central Appalachia.

Some of Our Older Issues and Programs

Local Food and Youth: To promote healthy eating and the benefits of local food, OVEC works with partners on a gardening and cooking project with the Huntington Boys and Girls Club.

Sludge Safety Work: To provide access to clean water and protect human health from underground coal sludge injection and sludge dams, OVEC founded the collaborative a Sludge Safety effort. In 2008, we won an ongoing moratorium on new sludge injection permits.

Cemetery Protection: OVEC’s work on mountaintop removal coal mining and deep shale gas issues can involve working to protect family cemeteries.

Explore our original website, our history and successes page and our newsletter archives to learn about other issues we’ve tackled since we formed in 1987.