January 11, 2018
The Honorable Mitch Carmichael, President, West Virginia Senate
The Honorable Tim Armstead, Speaker, WV House of Delegates
Members of the Joint Committee on Government and Finance
RE: Public Water System Supply Study Commission Report and Recommendations
Following the water crisis of 2014, the unanimous passage of SB373 established the Public Water System Supply Study Commission to provide annual recommendations to the Legislature to protect the state’s drinking water supplies. The Commission’s fourth report was submitted to you on December 15, 2017 by the Commission’s Chair and State Health Officer, Dr. Rahul Gupta.
Following the directive of the Legislature, the Commission has met 23 times to craft recommendations for your consideration. The recommendations, which are summarized in Appendix F of the report, cover important topics that range from improving the state Spill Reporting Hotline to notifying downstream public water systems of threats to drinking water quality. Many would require legislative approval to enact.
As 20 undersigned organizations united in our concerns about the safety and security of West Virginian’s public drinking water supplies, we request that you give the report and its recommendations ample consideration. We urge you to refer it to appropriate committees for presentation of the report and discussion of legislation to implement its recommendations.
In the interest of advancing public policy protective of public health, we feel strongly that the work put into this report by a diverse array of experts deserves your attention and time on the appropriate committees’ agendas.
Thank you for consideration of this request.
Contact: Angie Rosser, WV Rivers Coalition / arosser@wvrivers.org / 304-437-1274
ALSO: Ellen Allen, Covenant House; Jeff Allen, WV Council of Churches; Julie Archer, WV Surface Owners’ Rights Organization; Ted Boettner, WV Center on Budget and Policy; Liz Brunello, American Friends Service Committee; Jeni Burns, WV Sustainable Business Council; Chad Cordell, Kanawha Forest Coalition; Rose Edington & Robin Blakeman, WV Interfaith Power & Light; Karan Ireland, WV Environmental Council; Chris Kimes, WV Healthy Kids and Families Coalition and Our Children, Our Future Campaign; Cathy Kunkel, Advocates for a Safe Water System; Pam Nixon, People Concerned About Chemical Safety; Margaret Chapman Pomponio, WV FREE; Justin Raines, WV Chapter of the Sierra Club; Cindy Rank, WV Highlands Conservancy; Jonathan Rosenbaum, WV League of Women Voters; Natalie Thompson, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition; MJ Watts, HOPE Community Development Corporation, Gary Zuckett, WV Citizen Action Group.
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Morgantown – Lewisburg – Bethany – Parkersburg
Prep For Your Visit to the Capitol
Your Voice WV: Citizen Lobbyist Training
January 18 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Morgantown, WV
West Virginia University 1 Stadium Drive
https://www.facebook.com/events/1623371511084990/
Join a coalition of state and local organizations and student groups to learn how to effectively talk with your elected officials about progressive issues that matter to you! The training will take place in Ming Hsieh, Room 122.
This training will provide information and resources on how to speak with your elected officials, focusing on your state representatives (but transferable to local and federal level officials, as well). We’ll also dive into some messaging tips on a variety of issues and how to connect these issues in a strategic and effective manner. Networking time will be included in the training to learn more from policy/issue experts and get involved in organizations or groups you’re most interested in.
This event is FREE, and all are welcome! Refreshments will be provided.
WV Environmental Council
Dear Friends,
West Virginia politicians are at it again. The 2018 State Legislative Session has just begun, and already they’re pushing new versions of Forced Pooling legislation, with attacks expected on public forests, environmental standards, and anything else their corporate backers think they can make a buck off of.
Would you like to be a Citizen Lobbyist?
Decisions are being made in Charleston this year that will affect your public lands, your water, your community, and your families for years to come. Governor Jim Justice just introduced legislation to start logging our state parks and it’s more important than ever that the representatives making those decisions hear from you, their constituents.
With that in mind, the West Virginia Chapter of Sierra Club is going to be ramping up its Citizen Lobbying program this year, helping members across the state learn how to get their needs and concerns across to the legislators who represent them. During the session, the WV Chapter will be organizing in-district meetings with legislators, as well as working to get people to the Capitol to participate in the West Virginia Environmental Council’s E-Day lobbying, and for hearings on key bills.
To learn more about this program and how you can become part of the conversation about the future of West Virginia, please email WV Chapter Chair Justin Raines at justinraineswv@gmail.com.
Additionally, we are co-sponsoring Citizen Lobbyist trainings with WV FREE and other organizations in different areas of the state. The first two trainings are:
Morgantown, Thursday, January 18th, 6-8 PM at WVU
1 Stadium Dr, Morgantown, WV 26505
Parkersburg, Monday, February 5th, 6-8 PM
317 Market St, Parkersburg, WV 26101
Let us know if you’d like to learn how to influence your elected officials.
Thank you for taking action and for all you do for our environment!
Justin Raines, WV Sierra Club, Chapter Chair