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May 16, 2014
Online Gas Well Workshops - Starting Next Week
The WV Chapter of the Sierra Club invites you to participate in the 2014 Spring Gas Well Workshops. This is a great opportunity to become a well informed gas well sleuth. There will be three online workshops devoted to intense guided study in three topics:
- Using West Virginia Online Databases (Monday, May 19 through Sunday, June 1) - In this workshop participants will look at and grow used to accessing West Virginia online oil and gas databases that are available to the public.
- West Virginia Underground Injection Control Class 2 Program (Monday, June 2 through Sunday, June 15) - This workshop will focus on Class 2 UIC wells in West Virginia used to dispose of liquid oil and gas waste, including state and federal laws, what the wells do, and the waste they inject.
- West Virginia Laws and Regulations (starts June 16) - This work shop will look at West Virginia laws that relate to oil and gas activity, specifically those that fall under WV Department of Environmental Protection oversight, including instruments the DEP uses like General Permit for Water Pollution Control.
The online workshops include a short overview YouTube video and downloadable study materials. The Databases and UIC Class 2 workshops will have online forums where participants can ask questions and exchange information.
A sample workshop is at http://workshops.sootypaws.net/moodle/
Login as Guest at http://workshops.sootypaws.net/moodle/login/index.php and use the password Sierra. There is a sample forum, video, and workshop materials.
A handout for all participants on how to use the workshops’ web interface is at http://workshops.sootypaws.net/documents/using_gws_handout.pdf
Registration is a two step process. Contact Jim (jimscon@gmail.com ) to let him know you desire to attend one, two, or all three workshops. Each workshop has a separate enrollment key necessary to attend.
Once you have the enrollment key, go to http://workshops.sootypaws.net/moodle/login/index.php to log in. As a first time user of the website you’ll need to create a login name and password.
After you’re logged in you can use the enrollment key to automatically register for the workshop(s) you are interested in.
We hope you can join us for this educational opportunity.
Thanks from the WV Sierra Club, Marcellus Gas Campaign Team
Marcellus Academey 2014 - June 21-22, 2014 at WV Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, WV
Marcellus Academy is a weekend of presentations and workshops on Marcellus Shale gas drilling presented by the WV Chapter of the Sierra Club. This year’s emphasis will be on working to solve and overcome the problems suffered by families and communities around West Virginia when they are challenged by the onslaught of unwanted noxious incursions into their lives.
Marcellus Academy 2014 will train emerging activists who can proactively work on Marcellus gas drilling issues in their communities. With ever increasing industrial-scale drilling sites causing major problems with our water, our land, our air and our health, this workshop will focus on giving you the tools to effectively organize others, build grassroots networks of community watchdogs who can monitor industry practices, and help guide local leaders toward environmentally sound Marcellus policies.
Emphasis will be on education, outreach, activism and recruiting other concerned citizens. Attendees will be limited to those who can clearly commit to organizing people in their area by holding meetings, giving presentations, organizing house parties and speaking out to build public awareness. The goal is to empower more everyday citizens to take the initiative in protecting their communities and to serve as leaders for building public support.
A detailed agenda will be forthcoming, but speakers and workshops on both days will cover topics such as:
Problems caused by the Marcellus gas industry
The whole process: the stages of drilling, outrageous impacts to residents
How to look at any given well site, old or new, for problems/violations, and the laws and regulations covering them
Best ways to organize locally
Citizen Watch Groups that can monitor industry activity
Organizing gas industry study committees within your county commission
Open session for guest videos, slide shows and personal stories
The WV Legislature - Who's who and how it works
More programs to be announced
All of your expenses for the workshop (lodging, meals, and mileage) will be covered by WV Sierra Club. Only a limited number of registrations will be accepted.
People living in counties heavily affected by gas drilling are especially encouraged to attend. Individuals from the same community are encouraged to apply so they can work as a team. Applicants are not required to be affiliated with any particular organization, but you must be a West Virginia resident.
Space is limited, so please apply as soon as possible listing your name, address, county, phone number and email. Contact information is below. If you cannot attend but know of someone in your community who fits our guidelines and could benefit from joining us, please pass this on to them. Again, they should be people who can make a clear commitment to do what it takes to build local grassroots action on their home turf.
We hope you can join us in June and become part of the growing number of West Virginians creating a strong, intelligent response to the challenges of Marcellus drilling.
Contacts:
David Sturm
Marcellus Campaign Committee Chair
davidsturm@ymail.com
(304) 363-7160
Chuck Wyrostok
Outreach Organizer
outreach@marcellus-wv.com
(877) 252-0257
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