Register Now to Comment at Charleston Hearing on Proposed Repeal of Clean Power Plan
Thursday, November 16 was the deadline to register to comment at the only public hearing scheduled on the Trump Administration’s proposed rollback of the Clean Power Plan. Register here. 

The EPA’s public comment hearing is set for November 27-28 at the WV State Capitol in Charleston. If enough people register, the hearing may continue to November 29.

Power in numbers: Turn out, speak up! Keep the Clean Power Plan! Please read our blog for more details. If you’d like us to share some talking points with you, e-mail info@ohvec.org.

Union of Concerned Scientists: Scott Pruitt’s Cynical Move to Rescind the Clean Power Plan

Note that on November 28 in Charleston, the Sierra Club and allies are hosting the People’s Hearing and press event on the proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan. They’ll collect comments to share with the EPA. Details here.  

AEP’s John Amos coal-fired power plant on Nov. 12, 2017. Thanks to SouthWings for the flyover! Photo by VS.

Meanwhile in other news: 15,000 Scientists From 184 Countries Warn Humanity of Environmental Catastrophe

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EPA Also Taking Written Comments
According to the EPA, oral comments and supporting information presented at the public hearing will be considered with the same weight as written statements and supporting information submitted during the public comment period. Comments must be received by January 16, 2018. 

Update: April 26 New Deadline to Comment!

Comments on the proposed repeal should be identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0355, and may be submitted by one of the following methods:

Online:
Go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for
submitting comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0355.

Email:
Comments may be sent to a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov. Include Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0355 in the subject line of the message.

Fax:
Fax your comments to: (202) 566-9744. Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQOAR-2017-0355

Mail:
Environmental Protection Agency
EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC)
Mail Code 28221T,
Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0355
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460

Hand/Courier Delivery: EPA Docket Center, Room 3334, EPA WJC West Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0355. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket’s normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.

For additional information, including the full EPA public comment policy: https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.

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Easy-Peasy Online Way to Comment
We’d much rather see you out and about in Charleston (power in numbers!), or have you writing your own comments, but we know that’s not possible for everyone. There are options for online commenting, and likely will be more as the January 16 deadline for written comments draws near. 

Here are a couple of easy online comment forms: 

From the Union of Concerned Scientists: Tell EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to Stand Up for Our Communities NOT Polluters

From the League of Conservation Voters: FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE CLEAN POWER PLAN REPEAL

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Petition: Bring Back Study on MTR and Public Health 

Chuck Nelson at a mountaintop removal site. Photo by VS.

This weekend the Associated Press ran a story that featured long-time OVEC member Chuck Nelson: Frustration sets in after coal mine health study suspended. The story ran on the front page of the Huntington Herald-Dispatch on Monday. Thank you to Chuck, his wife Linda, and Joan Linville for sharing your stories.

Today, Tuesday, the Huntington Herald-Dispatch ran this editorial: Study of surface mining, health issues should resume.

Indeed! If you haven’t already, join nearly 40,000 people in signing this petition: Bring Back Coal Mining Public Health Study!

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