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Winds of Change Newsletter, September 2008 See sidebar for table of contents
OVEC Adds Mingo County Native to Help Organize and Empower Southern
WV Coalfield Communities
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| Shana Hughes |
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Hello, my name is Shana Hughes. This summer I am
interning for OVEC by serving as the outreach coordinator in Mingo
County. I grew up in Delbarton, in Mingo County, and just graduated with
a degree in social work from Marshall University.
This summer, we are forming a community group to bring
people together to protect and strengthen our communities. I am working
with people from Rawl, Delbarton, Williamson, Lenore and other places in
the southern coalfields that have been damaged by strip mining. The
group does not have a name yet, but we will be voting on one soon.
I helped organize meetings in Varney and Chatteroy to
inform people of a proposed MTR mine in the area. The Williamson
Daily News ran a long story (see page 23).
The proposed mine would be over 2,000 acres, have at
least 12 valley fills, and stretch from Delbarton to Rt. 119. Sediment
from the mine would empty into the Buffalo Creek Watershed and also
affect the Miller Creek Watershed.
The local group in Mingo County is looking for ways to
increase job opportunities. We are currently working on a wind power
project to discuss setting up small community wind projects.
The vision is that a company will provide green energy
for the surrounding neighborhoods, and hopefully provide more jobs for
the region.
This internship is an exciting experience, and I really
enjoy working for OVEC.
I am looking forward to all the good things our
community group is doing.
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