ASH Belongs on the Ash Heap of Bad Ideas
The news about climate change keeps coming in, and it is dire. Meanwhile, West Virginia and federal officials are falling over themselves to promote a massive petrochemical build-out for our region. This proposed Appalachian Storage and Trading Hub (ASH) would include huge, toxic cracker plants, thousands of miles of pipelines, and underground storage for natural gas liquids, all fed by a huge increase in fracking-related activities, with their devastating impacts on human heath, and our air and water. And it’s all about producing plastic, a substance that is already overwhelming landfills and choking our oceans.

The graphic above was included in a U.S. Department of Energy report (more like sales pitch!) favoring the idea of the Hub; unfortunately, it fails to convey the scale of the project, or the smell of it (from rotten, corrupt back-room deals to toxic emissions). 

The project would run along the shores and inland areas of the Ohio River Valley—from near Pittsburgh, all along the WV/OH border and into Kentucky, with another spur along the Kanawha River Valley. 

So far, we’ve not seen any estimates of the potential tonnages of greenhouse gases that could be emitted from all stages of this project. Given the increasingly alarming climate news and the increasingly strident warnings that we must drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions now, politicians and government agencies should immediately put a moratorium on any related permits and stop the blatant cheer leading.

You Can Help Right Now
5 p.m. today, December 11, is the deadline to submit comments opposing the air permit for the proposed PTT Global ethane cracker, which would be part of ASH. We’ve posted the information you need to submit your comments here.

You may also use this easy online way to comment, but please be certain add your own words to personalize the comments. 

Tomorrow, December 12 at 6 p.m., the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the NPDES permit for this same proposed ethane cracker plant. The hearing takes place at Shadyside Community Center, 50 East 39th St., Shadyside, Ohio, 43947. 

OVEC’s Dustin White is heading to the hearing from the Charleston area. If you would like to join a carpool, contact him right away at dustin@ohvec.org to see if there’s an open space. 

Written comments on the NPDES permit will be accepted until December 18; details (and any updates) here. 

Here’s one easy online way to comment on the water permit. Again, please do personalize your comments. Here’s another:
New Plastics Factory Means More Health Problems

Be Ready for 2019 Legislative Session
Make sure you are ready for nimble action during the 2019 Legislative Session, which begins January 9. OVEC is a member of the West Virginia Environmental Council, or E-Council, which will have lobbyists at the State Capitol fighting to advance clean energy, clean water, clean air, and clean elections. We know from past experience that we will have to try to stop a lot of bad bills, too.

We will need your help, often on very short notice. Calls, e-mails, lobby visits and protests at the Capitol can really make a difference in boosting a good bill or tossing a bad one onto that ash heap. Please make certain you are on E-Council’s action alert list, and follow both E-Council and OVEC on social media: E-Council Twitter, OVEC Twitter,. E-Council Facebook, OVEC Facebook.

Human Rights Watch Releases Report on Mountaintop Removal
According to the report, the Trump administration and United States Congress have endangered public health by ending measures, including defunding a scientific study, that address the human and environmental risks of mountaintop removal, a form of surface coal mining prevalent in central Appalachia. This Human Rights Watch report was released on December 10, the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Learn more and watch a video here. And thanks to everyone who helped out when the Human Rights Watch crew was here in West Virginia to work on this report.

Easy E-Actions
He Used a Rifle to Shoot a Climate Change Bill. Don’t Make Him Leader of Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee.
Read up: For God’s sake, keep Joe Manchin from overseeing climate policy

Stop the EPA’s Methane Rule Rollback

Gifts With a Sense of Purpose

If you are looking for a holiday gift, we have some ideas, such as a gift membership to OVEC, or OVEC merchandise. Details here.

If you are in Huntington, you can pick up the enamel camp-style mugs, as shown in the photo above, at two great local businesses The Wild Ramp is located just down the street from our office, and Brand Yourself, which made the mugs for us.

Upcoming Events
December 11: Deadline to Comment on Proposed PTT Global Ethane Cracker Plant Air Permit

December 11: We Demand More from Governor Justice (re: Upson Appointment)

December 12: Public Hearing on NPDES for PPT Cracker Plant in Shadyside, Ohio

December 18: Deadline to Comment on Draft NPDES Permit for PPT Cracker Plant

January 8: On Eve of MCHM Water Crisis 5th Anniversary: Workshop on Water

January 11: Screening of Unfractured at the United Church of Christ in Huntington. Check our online calendar page for updates.

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