May 16: Sustainability Fair, WV Mine Wars Museum Opens
May 16: 2015 Sustainability Fair! 10 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. at Historical Heritage Station, 210 11th Street (Diamond Teeth Mary Way), Huntington, WV. Free and open to the public. Much more info, including a full schedule here.

Keynote address, workshops, demonstrations, exhibitors, live music, youth activities, local foods, green building, transportation, sustainable energy, resource conservation, urban agriculture and much more.

Spearheaded by Sustainable Living for WV in conjunction with our co-sponsors including: Greater Huntington Park & Recreation District; Marshall University Sustainability Dept.; Living Local Project. Additional support from OVEC, Davis & Elkins College Center for Sustainability Studies and local small businesses.

Hope to see you there!

Also on May 16: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Grand opening of the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum in Matewan, WV. This museum tells the history of the West Virginia Mine Wars from the perspective of the mining families who fought them. The Grand Opening event will include museum tours, live music, interactive exhibits and a door prize! Also, this event is the same day as the Matewan Massacre outdoor drama downtown. There is no entry fee, but donations are encouraged. Refreshments will be available thanks to local restaurants.

The WV Mine Wars Museum’s board of directors. We recognize many of those faces!

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May 17: Stand Together For Safe Water & Energy Savings
May 17: Take A Stand for A Safe Water System: Join Advocates for a Safe Water System at 2 p.m. at WV American Water’s treatment plant (corner of Smith and Court St.) in Charleston, WV. About 200 people are already signed up to demand a safe water system; you can add your name here.

A month and a half ago, WV American Water said that costs associated with the Freedom Industries spill would be included in their next rate hike. Since then, citizens have been organizing to tell WV American Water: “We Won’t Pay for Your Mistakes!”

Last week, WV American Water announced that they had changed their mind: costs associated with the Freedom spill are not included in their rate increase.

But, WV American Water has not given up on making us pay for their problem. In fact, they said that they will be seeking a separate, additional rate increase at a later date to recover the costs from the water crisis. Not only have they not fixed our water system, they want us to pay for their mistakes! No way! Come out May 17, sign up here.

Note: If you were a victim of the Freedom Industries chemical spill, you have the opportunity to sign up for notifications about future legal developments, submit a written account of how you were affected by the spills, or attend the court proceedings. Learn more here or call 304-345-2200 to speak with the victim-witness coordinator.

Also on May 17: directly after the Safe Water action, from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., come get some refreshments and learn about saving energy with West Virginia Interfaith Power and Light at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 520 Kanawha Boulevard W., Charleston. By attending this free event, you could put your congregation or other non-profit group in the running to win a $10,000 energy efficiency upgrade. Learn more about the event and the competition here.

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Save the Date: This is Not Your Grandparents’ Oil & Gas Industry
On the evening of June 15, OVEC will present a free public forum on horizontal drilling AKA fracking AKA “unconventional” oil and gas drilling. This forum is especially designed for folks in Wayne, Cabell and other counties under which lies the Rogersville Shale.

If you have been approached by gas industry representatives seeking to lease your mineral rights, or to gain right of way access to your property, then we strongly recommend that you attend this forum. Legal advisers will be present. If you want to learn what may be in store for the area, then attend this forum. Hear firsthand what disruptions to health, well-being and property the Marcellus Shale “boom” has brought to our neighbors in the north-central part of West Virginia.

Please save the evening of June 15 for this forum, which will be held at the Westmoreland Women’s Club, 2962 Bradley Rd, Huntington, WV, 25704. We’ll bring you more details soon.

Trucks at a fracking site in north-central WV. Photo courtesy WV Host Farms.

A new home in north-central WV gets highly unwelcome 24-7 loud, toxic neighbors. Photo courtesy WV Host Farms.

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Other Upcoming Actions
Reminder: May 14 is the deadline to submit written comments on ORSANCO’s 1) proposed amendments to Pollution Control Standards for Discharges to the Ohio River 2013 Revision,and 2) the proposed FirstEnergy Corp., Pleasants Power Station, variance from Pollution Control Standards for Discharges to the Ohio River 2013 Revision, regarding their discharge of mercury into the Ohio River. More info, including an address for submitting your comments, here. And here’s a fact sheet from WV Rivers Coalition, along with a No More Toxic Mercury in Our Water Supplies petition.

It is always best to include your own individual comments, but if you don’t have time to do that, here’s a comment form from Audubon.

May 21 – 29: Stop the FERC-us with Beyond Extreme Energy. Also, now, on May 14! 

May 30 – June 7: Mountain Justice Summer Convergence 2015 at Kanawha State Forest, West Virginia.

July 31: 5 p.m. OVEC member and invited guest picnic. We are once again going to gather in Coonskin Park, Charleston, WV for a lovely evening of socializing, information sharing and award presntations. Please plan to join us and bring a friend, neighbor or family member along for the fun! OVEC will provide the main course vittles; you can feel free to bring a side dish if possible. We also encourage you to bring your own re-usable table ware and cups. E-mail info@ohvec.org for details or, if you are an OVEC member, watch for our mailing.

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