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"Volume 114 No. 19
(Continuing the Hinton Daily News & The Weekend Leader)
of "W. Va. Water Festival"
Hinton, WestVirginia Tuesday Sept. 20, 2016
50 Cents
By: Barbara Daniels . -.
Like the judge in Fayette County,
who, without a hearing, nullified
West Virginian's right to stop
toxic dumping, in 2015, Governor
Tomblin allowed construction to
continue on a pipeline project when
a cease and desist order should
have been given.
The WV DEP issued a "consent
order" for a company that had
incurred 53 pipeline violations in
only a few months.
In such an order, the offending
party promises to correct the
violations and pay a fine while the
operation continues.
Autumn Bryson, an
environmental consultant,
documented these and many more
violations in a fifteen-mile stretch
of the 55 mile, 36-inch diameter,
Stonewall "gathering" pipeline.
This pipeline carries 700 million
cubic feet of gas per day with shut-
off valves every 25 miles. Usually
located in rural settings, gathering
pipelines are nearly unregulated.
Natural gas is invisible, odorless,
BTEX, a highly carcinogenic bone, skin, teeth, gums, urinary
and neurotoxic fluid, can also be tract, blood and cancer. Yet, under
transported in such pipelines, pressure from the oil and gas
Although this material has companies, hydrogen sulfide has
electronic leak detection, only-leaks been exempted from the Clean Air
greater than 1.8 percent of the daily Act.
flow are spotted. With an expected Despite these hazards, if their
flow of 1.4 BILLION cu/ft/day, this lease offer is refused, for-profit
means that over 25 million cubic gas companies claim they can take
feet of poison will escape daily from
every leak just under 1.8 percent
of flow. BTEX transport does not
require a FERC permit.
However, it is reported that 60
to 80 % of fracking hazards result
from compressor stations located
every 40 to 100 miles along the
pipelines.
These machines run constantly.
Some .use diesel fuel which is
known to cause asthma, lung
cancer and heart problems. All
emit carcinogenic, neurotoxic
VOCs. formaldehyde and hydrogen
sulfide.
Hydrogen sulfide, being heavier
than air, accumulates in low areas.
The EPA has reported that venting,
propel~y by "eminent domain".
This high handed approach has'
helped galvanize very diverse
Appalachian groups into coalitions
actively opposing pipelines.
One of these, POWHR (Protect ::
Our Water Heritage and Rights),
unites preservation groups through, Attending from Summers County the week of July 17 - 23 were, (L to R) Abigail Reed and Aldan Meadows
the Virginias and North Carolina
along the proposed Mountain
Valley Pipeline route.
By delaying construction with
regulatory tactics, POWHR has
bought time for conditions to change
in their favor such as lowered gas
prices.
Kentucky's Friends for
Environmental Justice, another
rapidly-gr0wing coalition, has
nnners
St. George, WV, Summer camp
dren
including the arts and reading.
poisonous and highly explosive. In leaks from well head equipment and
interstatepipelines, itistranaported compressors, spills, malfunctions
at an average pressure of L440 or build-up in enc!osed or low-lying
pounds per square inch which rises
dramatically when the contents
are forced up mountainsides.
Explosions and asphyxiations do
occur and with valves miles apart
the resulting fires have lasted for
up to a week.
Gas pipelines are said to be
monitored for leaks by aircraft
once every few years, with dying
vegetation the only indicator.
stopped Kentucky's Blue Grass is a rite of passage for many boys Home-cooked meals are served
pipeline. When faced ¢¢ith trot:ble, and girls throughout West Virginia family style three times each day
people in Appalachia do what they i as they took part in the 2016 in the dining hall.
areas can create lethal levels of this must. Governor's Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps members
gas. Some say the solution is to ban = Adventure Camp. serve as counselors and high
Moreover, scientific research fracking altogether as New York ,. Four six-day sessions are school students throughout the
is revealing that exposure to State, Vermont, Maryland, several: conducted at Camp Horseshoe in state help as volunteers. All are
~ong-term, low concentrations of Canadian provinces and ten nations Tucker County. 7-to-12-year-olds impacted by the children that
hydrogen sulfide can also destroy
health. The effects include damage
to the cardiovascular, immune,
digestive, respiratory and central
nervous systems, as well as the ear/
nose/throat complex and muscle,
have done.
But the NY ban did not include
the entire fracking infrastructure.
and that state is now battling i
pipelines and toxic waste from
elsewhere.
take part in kid-friendly outdoor
activities including - archery,
swimming, creek walking, and
nature hiking. Campers also have
access to more relaxing activities
they meet. "Horseshoe offers
kids the opportunity of family-
style living and meals, traditional
camp activities, and a safe place
to grow and learn." said counselor
fl
Hannah Gibson, Frazier's Bottom,
West Virginia, a student at WVU :
Tech: "Every child, regardless of. "
their family's circumstances, needs
a friend who wants the best for
them, said counselor Riley Keaton
of Spencer, West Virginia. "Our
culture at Horseshoe is special and :
lifts everyone up," he adds.
Horseshoe serves statewide and
beyond. For information call 304-
478-2481, or find out more online
at www.yla-youthleadership.org/
yla-horseshoe-overview.
;Ion
REP. JENKINS: MAKING THE
VA MORE ACCOUNTABLE
FOR VETERANS' CARE
House passing legislation to hold the VA's bad actors responsible
Last week, Senators Joe
,Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley
Moore Capito (R-WV), along with
Representatives David McKinley,
Alex Mooney and Evan Jenkins,
sent a letter to President Obama
to express their full support for
Governor Earl Ray Tomblin's new
request to include West Virginia
in any Presidential supplemental
appropriations request that the
Administration may submit to
Congress.
The delegation said in part:
"In West Virginia, more than two
months after the deadly June
floods that killed 23 people, eight
counties remain under a state of
emergency.
More than 5,000 homes and
businesses were damaged during
the disaster and over 70 percent
of all applicants incurred at least
some FEMA-verified loss.
Unfortunately, much like
Louisiana, the vast majority of
the flooded homes and businesses
(nearly 90 percent) did not carry
flood insurance at' the time of the
disaster, and, according to FEMA
estimates, the average grant award
for each eligible West Virginian
will be less than $9,000.
The challenge we face is clear -
without additional assistance, these
individuals and the communities
in which they live simply cannot
afford to rebuild."
The fuli'letter is shown below:
Dear Mr. President:
;ions
The hardworking men and
women of West Virginia have
pulled together to help each other
rebuild from the devastating one-
in-a-thousand-year floods that
inundated their communities
earlier this year and led to a major
disaster declaration on June 25,
2016 (DR.4273).
While we are humbled by the
heroic actions of our first responders
and the thousands of individual
citizens who helped friends,
neighbors and complete strangers
escape rising flood waters, we now
find ourselves unable to help many
of these same individuals begin
down their own road to recovery,
and we urge you to include West
Virginia in any Presidential
supplemental appropriations
request that your Administration
may submit to Congress.
In West Virginia, more than
two months after the deadly June
floods that killed 23 people, eight
counties remain under a state of
emergency,
More than 5,000 homes and
businesses were damaged during
the disaster and over 70% of all
applicants incurred at least some
FEMA-verified loss.
Unfortunately, much like
Louisiana, the vast majority of
the flooded homes• and businesses
(nearly 90%) did not carry flood
insurance at the time of the
disaster, and, according to FEMA
estimates, the average grant award
for each eligible West Virginian
will be less than $9,000.
Representative Evan Jenkins Accountability First and Appeals necessary step to getting the VA
(R-W.Va.) supports legislation Modernization Act, which would working again for our veterans. '::
to hold bad actors at the U.S. allow the VA to remove or demote "I will not stand for a system that
Department of Veterans Affairs VA employees for misconduct rewards Washington bureaucrats
accountable for the care our nation's or poor performance, including for failing to do their job.
veterans receive, recouping and withholding bonuses, 'There are a lot of good, caring
The challenge we face is clear - "I willnot stand for a system that all while enhancing whistleblower people at the VA and they, re
without additionalassistance, these rewards Washington bureaucrats protections, employees at our hospitals, and
individuals avd the communities for failing to do their job," Rep. The congressman's full remarks we need to make sure they have.
in which they live simply cannot Jenkins said on the floor of the are below, an environment and a system
afford to rebuild. U.S. House of Representatives'WIr. Speaker, during two town that they can serve our veterans.
We strongly support West Wednesday. hall meeting recently,. I had the ,I stand with our veterans and for
Virginia Governor Earl Ray '~here are a lot of good, caring opportunity to hear from our the commonsense reforms to the
Tomblin's request for $310 ', people at the VA, and they're veterans about the care they are problems that they are facing.
million in disaster funding for the employees at our hospitals, and receiving from VA hospitals.'They '~[ will continue to work to make
Community Development Block~we need to make sure they have want, they need, no, they deserve sure the VA is held accountable.
Grant (CDBG-DR) program to ' an environment and system that a VA healthcare system that works That veterans receive the best
address the critical unmet needs of. they can serve our veterans. I for them. ' health care in the country, no, in
our constituents. ' stand with our veterans and for "One that gives them timely the world. That abroken system is
The additional CDBG-DR, the commonsense reforms to thecare, one that treats our veterans fixed. Our veterans have sacrificed
funding requested by the Governor : problems they are facing." with respect, and one that holds so much for us, and we must keep
would help homeowners rebuild i Later this evening, the House is VA bureaucrats accountable. Ithe promises we have made to
safer and stronger, i' expected to pass H.R. 5620, the VA am proud to support H.R. 5620, a them."
It would give our smallbusinesses.
an opportunity to reinvest in
i: Nat
the communities on which they • • *
depend.
It wotfld give these communities
the resources they need to reduce ' Friday, September 16, 2016: the night at Camp Brookside. to the event from 10:30 to 11:30 ...
their exposure to flood threats and The National Park Service, "Every Kid in a Park" is a national ~m. Meet Julena Campbell at the
promote sustainable development ~in partnership with Concord initiative designed to get every Southside parking lot at Dun Glen
for decades to come. University, National Geographic fourth grader in thb nation out to (just before the bridge crossing the
It would be a shame to miss this Society, and the WV Geographic .a park, a part of the National Park Ne@ River to'Thurmond). RSVP to.
opportunity. While the scope and Alliance is hosted an "Every Kid Service Centennial celebrations. Jnlena Campbell at 304-465-6523
scale of this disaster may seem in a Park" day at Camp Brookside Wednesday, September 21, or julena_campbell@nps.gov.
relatively small to some, we cannot Environmental Education Center 2016: Youth Arts in the Parks www.nps.gov
forget the 23 men, women and in Brooks, WV. History Festival will. help Fayette America's 413 national parks
children whom we lost during these Approximately 80 fourth graders and Raleigh County middle school and work with communities across
floods. "attended the event where they students learn about the area's the nation to help preserve local
This was one of the deadliest will work with scientists and park rich history using the arts ashistory and create '~lose-to-home
disastdrs our country "has rangers to learn about natural tools. Students will use hands- recreational opportunities:~.
experienced this year, and we owe resources through fun, hands on on activities like photography, Visit us at www.nps.gov, on
it to the memory of those that we activities, painting, storytelling, and more Facebook www.facebook.com/
lost to do everything in our power Other partners include the WV in this event coordinated by the nationaiparkservice, ~ Twitter
to ensure a tragedy like this never Department of Environmental National Park Service, the National www.twitter.com/natlparkservice,
happens here again. Protection and Th{ee Rivers Avian Coal Heritage Area, and the WVand YouTube www.youtube.com/
Thank you for your prompt Center. A group of 38 stt~dents Department of Environmental nationalparkservice.
attention tothis matter, and chaperones will be spending Protection~Pressiswelcometoeome' ~:.
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