West Virginia Highlands Voice

By John McFerrin

The Highlands Conservancy had a day of greeting new members, plodding through the mundane, and hearing a lot about issues.

We welcomed new members Beth Baldwin, Wayne Spiggle, and Mike Withers. Beth is the representative of TEAM (Taylor Environmental Advocacy Membership). Wayne is the representative of Allegheny Highlands Association. Both of these groups were recently granted a seat on the Board. Mike Withers was elected as a member at large at the annual meeting in October, 2009.

Among the mundane stuff, treasurer Bob Marshall reported that we are doing well enough. We had a successful fund appeal.

Webmaster James Solley reported that 6-7,000 different people visit our web site each month. What he needs now is content. We have all these pages but not enough content to fill them up. He knows plenty about bits, bytes, and such but he needs people to send him material.

On issue reports, Don Gasper reported on a national Trout Unlimited initiative to Bring Back the Brookie. They want to help connect brook trout streams and support measures to cool off stream segments below headwater streams so that they will be more hospitable to brook trout. The United States Forest Service is also interested in working to recover brook trout streams.

On matters legislative, Don Garvin reported that there is something brewing on forestry. The West Virginia Division of Forestry is supposed to re-do its forest management plan but it has not gotten it done. The legislature is concerned so something will probably happen.

Don also reported that the legislature is doing a review of the oil and gas industry, a review that the Governor supports. This effort is in large part a reaction to the increased activity in the Marcellus Shale. A group of people who have an interest in this issue has been assembled and we have been active in that. Don thinks there will be a bill addressing problems with oil and gas in the 2011 legislature.

The Department of Environmental Protection is doing its triennial review of water quality standards. Proposed are weaker iron and mercury standards.

On other matters legislative, Frank Young talked about the Fall Conference of the West Virginia Environmental Council, expected to be scheduled for September or October. Because the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy is a member of the Environmental Council, it has an opportunity to make suggestions about its legislative agenda for the 2011 legislative session. Frank would like to have suggestions by July on what we want.

On matters mining, Cindy Rank reported on various pieces of litigation in which we are involved. Some of these were described in the June, 2010, issue of The Highlands Voice. We also talked about the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed veto of the Spruce #1 permit for the Blair area of Logan County, WV. At the time of the meeting EPA was still accepting public comments on that veto. Cindy suggested that we all make comments supporting the veto.

Frank Young reported on the progress (or lack of progress) of PATH, the proposed electrical line stretching from West Virginia to the east. As things have turned out, the companies seeking to build the line do not have the evidence that there is sufficient demand to justify building it. They have asked for a delay in the Public Service Commission proceedings until they believe they can show that the line is necessary.

Note: The meeting was in May as part of the Spring Review. There was not enough room to report on it in the June issue of The Highlands Voice so here it is now.