Marcellus action alert

The latest from Charleston via the WV Sierra Club:

On Friday, House Speaker Rick Thompson told WV Environmental Council lobbyist Leslee McCarty that the Marcellus regulation bill (now SB424) is going to be back onto the Special Calendar in the House. They intend to work the bill, maybe in Committee, but he wants to get it moving. Of course, it's a long way to go before we get a bill passed, but this is encouraging.

West Virginia legislators need to pay attention to WV voters and start ignoring the robo emails they're getting from PR flacks hired by the gas industry. Word is they got dozens of these "stop regulation" messages last week. Now it's your turn to encourage the Speaker and your delegate. Please tell them this bill (and any strengthening amendments) is the first crucial step in curtailing industry abuses and protecting our precious water and land.

A blockbuster series in the NY Times http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/us/series/drilling_down/index.html raises new questions about the dangers of Marcellus drilling. For a horrific sample of what Harrison County residents experience, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDF7zryZN-M

Full page industry ads in WV newspapers say they oppose regulation, saying the bills will restrict or eliminate drilling. Nonsense. The gas they want is under our land. Tell legislators drillers have to "do it right".

Speaker Rick Thompson's office number is 304 340 3210. You can reach him first thing Monday morning. His email is speaker.thompson@frontier.net and his secretary's email iscarol.young@wvhouse.gov

If you can do it, calling is much more effective than emailing. If you're emailing, you might use this in the subject line: "I am a WV voter - pass SB424."

You can also call toll free (1-877-565-3447) any time to record your message for Speaker Thompson, your Senators and Delegates. Call early Monday to be connected directly to their offices.

To find and contact your reps, go to http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Districts/district_zip/zipmems.cfm
and simply type in your zip code.

The Session ends midnight this Saturday, March 12th, so this week is the last chance for you to get to the Capitol for a "face to face" with your Senators and Delegate. A lobby team member from Sierra Club, WVEC, OVEC or SORO will be there to provide you with guidance and handouts and make your visit to the capitol easy and effective. This is the most effective way to get your message across. Making appointments to meet with your reps is highly recommended. And let us know when you're coming.

Enough said. It's up to you. Thanks so much.

--Chuck Wyrostok
Sierra Club Outreach Organizer
Toll free 877 252 0257
E: outreach@marcellus-wv.com
www.marcellus-wv.com