Donate
Donate now for this cause.
OVEC's presence is essential to our region's environmental and soical health.
When you make a donation to OVEC, you will receive our quarterly newsletter, invitations to special events, including our annual event and opportunities to volunteer.
OVEC is a 501-c-3 organization, so donations to OVEC are tax deductible. CLICK HERE for our donation form, if your prefer to donate by check.
Mail your donation form and check to: OVEC, PO BOX 6753, Huntington, WV 25773.
Other ways to contribute:
Need description here.
Multistate Groups Demand Coast Guard Action to Protect Ohio River
Citing serious public health and safety concerns, environmental and community groups opposed to barging of fracking waste sent a letter to the U.S. Coast Guard requesting that the agency immediately initiate investigative action related to GreenHunter, LLC to determine the true contents of waste that GreenHunter, LLC may be transporting by barge on inland waterways, including the Ohio River and the Mississippi River, both, sources of drinking water for millions of people.
Exploding Bakken Crude: People Evacuated. Crude in River?
West Virginia’s over-reliance on dirty, dangerous fossil fuels guarantees more disasters, more toxic pollution of our precious, vital water resources, increases to on-going threats to public health and safety, and threatens the very future of planet Earth due to climate disruption. This is beyond common sense when clean, renewable solar and wind energy are off-the-shelf technology becoming increasingly more competitive with coal, gas and oil with the added benefits of thousands of new jobs along with greater safety for the public.
Sample Comments on AboveGround Storage Tank Bill
If you need some inspiration to draft your own note to send the committee considering the Aboveground Storage Tank Act , here's a sample letter, as well as e-mail addresses for the committee.
Defend Our Drinking Water: Public Hearing 8:30 a.m. Monday
Massive thanks to WV Rivers Coalition for this action alert, which has all the details you need to attend public hearing on HB 2289, to reclassify the Kanawha River to be protected as a drinking water supply (Category A), set for 8:30 a.m., tomorrow Monday, Feb. 16. The weather forecast is not the greatest, so we really need folks already in the Charleston area to show up if at all possible.
Citizens Call on Oil and Gas Industry and Politicians to Safeguard WV Waters
Come out Monday evening! Oil and gas industry lobbyists are among those leading the efforts to pass H.B. 2574/S.B. 423, “Amending the Aboveground Storage Tank Act.” This bill would gut last year’s unanimously-passed SB 373, the Above Ground Storage Tank Act, drafted in the wake of the MCHM chemical spill that contaminated the drinking water of about a sixth of the state’s population.
Speaking Up About HB 2566
HB 2566, the Coal Jobs and Safety Act of 2015 is a 59 page bill. You would think from the title that this is a positive bill that creates new job opportunities and a safer working environment for coal miners. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Defend Our Water: Save SB 373!
It took intense citizen pressure to pass SB 373, and we need to build that pressure again to preserve the improvements to water regulation gained in that bill. Act fast because this bill (HB 2574) seems fast tracked, with only one committee reference (House Judiciary).
On Now: NAACP Day at WV Capitol
Solar energy helps promote equality. We need just energy policies. Come out today.
Monday: Attend Public Hearing on Bill That Hurts Renewable Energy
Stand up for renewable energy and energy efficiency. We need you to attend the hearing and publicly speak out in opposition to HB 2004. Come out Monday!
Dangers of Conductivity Pollution to Streams Affirmed in Yet Another Major WV Court Ruling
Huntington, WV – The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia has, once again, found that conductivity pollution from a mountaintop removal mine violated key clean water protections. This decision follows on the heels of a similar decision from June 2014 that also found that high conductivity discharges from coal mines harm streams. That decision, against Alpha Natural Resources subsidiaries, led to a December 2014 settlement expected to result in active treatment of conductivity pollution for the first time.
Wise Woman Speaks on the Waters that Unite Us
Our leaders are in session this month. Take a stand. Make your voice heard! Start today! March and unite! Our nation was founded on the premise “by the people, for the people.” Remind our leaders that they work for us and demand they start working on a solution. Appalachians have always been strong and our ancestors fought many labor struggles and won! I haven’t given up on us. Our children are depending on us to do the right thing.
Hog Slurry Lagoons New “Future” for Old MTR Sites? Hog Wash!
Helmick says another thing that government officials have avoided saying out loud: MTR mining activity makes places remote. From our experience, that's because people have been driven away by the approaching mining. Helmick likely overstated himself and knows that there are some people and communities still near some MTR sites, but the folks living near MTR sites are far more likely to be unhealthy and facing early death than people who don't live near MTR sites.
Come Out for Clean Water, MLK Day, more
All over West Virginia, citizens are fighting for cleaner water. Show your desire for clean water: come out Saturday, January 17 for the Water Unites US: Rally for Clean Water Statewide. Join us at 2 p.m. on the WV State Capitol steps (on the Kanawha Blvd. side of the capitol building). Come learn about the threats and what you can do to take a stand for clean water!
Come Out for Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Huntington
In Huntington, WV, OVEC will again team up to march with the Cabell-Wayne Branch of the NAACP. We assemble at 4:30 p.m. at the 16th Street Baptist Church at Elm Street and 9th Avenue in Huntington. At 4:45 p.m. we march to the Joan C. Edwards Theater (Marshall University Campus),where starting at 5:30 p.m., events include a recitation of Dr. King’s “I have a dream” speech.
Water Unites Us: Rally for Clean Water Statewide
Hey West Virginia! Got fracking? Got mountaintop removal? Got acid mine drainage? Got oil & gas? Got chemical spills? Got sludge "ponds"? Got underground slurry injection? Got conductivity? Got selenium pollution? Got buried streams? Got to stand up for clean water! Come out Saturday, January 17 for a training and a rally for clean water, more events in January: A Month of Water in Charleston, WV
Media Advisory: Update on January 17 Events in Month of Water
Update on Next Events in January: A Month of Water What /When: Saturday, January 17 in Charleston, WV 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Safe Water System Leadership Training 2:00 p.m. Water Unites Us: Rally for Clean Water Statewide 5:00 p.m. After Rally/ Party Dinner
Wear Blue for Our Water: State of State Address
As part of January: A Month of Water, assorted citizen groups are encouraging people to attend the governor's State of the State Address on Wednesday, January 14. The speech, which comes on the first day of the West Virginia Legislative Session, begins at 7 p.m. in the House Chamber at the WV State Capitol. There's an upstairs gallery for members of the public. Show up, wear blue. Everyone who can make it is encouraged to attend to put the governor and legislators on notice that we expect clean, safe water to be a priority for this legislative session!
Climate Education: Come to WV Board of Education Meeting
Let WV Board of Education know: "West Virginia kids deserve to learn the scientific facts about climate change as part of a 21st-century science education. Please correct all inaccurate and misleading information about climate change in new science standards for K-12 students in West Virginia. Replace altered climate content with the original peer-reviewed climate science standards written by scientists and science educators."
Legislative Advocacy Training Friday in Huntington
Do you know how to speak with your elected officials? Do you want to become a citizen advocate? OVEC is partnering with WVFREE, WV-CAG and other groups to offer you this free training. The training will help you become more involved in the legislative process and learn how to be an effective advocate for the issues important to your community. Join us this Friday.
Morgantown Adovcacy Training Tonight
Come understand the legislative process, get tips on speaking with elected officials, and learn about progressive organizations and issues in WV!