Entries by Neal Barkus

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WV House Passes Bill Easing Regulation of Aboveground Storage Tanks Near Drinking Water Intakes

In 2014, a leak from an aboveground storage tank on the Elk River just above the drinking water intake for Charleston and much of Kanawha County polluted drinking water for 300,000 consumers. As a result the West Virginia Legislature passed the Aboveground Storage Tank Act imposing strict safety and inspection rules on such tanks.  Almost […]

Nuclear Power for West Virginia?

Conservation West Virginia is not opposed to nuclear power, which might solve a lot of our climate problems. We hope it will continue to be explored. On January 21, 2022, the West Virginia House Energy Committee passed out a bill for consideration by the full House (HB 2882) that would repeal the current law governing […]

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The New Civilian Climate Corps

Immediately upon assuming office, President Biden issued an executive order addressing his climate objectives.  Prominent among these was the creation of a Civilian Climate Corps to tackle climate change resiliency and provide job training to underemployed youth.  The new CCC would be modeled on a popular New Deal program that put thousands to work on […]

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Big Vermont Settlement in Forever Chemical Case

On November 11, 2021 a $34million settlement was reached between residents of Bennington, VT, and Saint-Gobain Corporation, which formerly operated a Teflon factory in the area. Teflon was made using PFOA, the infamous “forever chemical” that fouled the Ohio River near Parkersburg, West Virginia. PFOA contamination affected some 2,400 properties and 8,000 residents in the […]

The Hot Air About Methane

When President Biden left for the COP26 meeting in Glasgow recently, his primary plan for reaching the greenhouse gas reduction goals in the Paris Accords was in disarray.  The cause of this disarray was mainly the opposition of West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin.  But Biden had Plan B, which involves a two-pronged approach to sharply […]

Climate Change Threatens National Security

A new national security estimate — the first of its kind devoted to climate change — has been issued by the U.S. intelligence community.  Simultaneously, the Biden White House has issued a fact sheet on prioritizing climate in foreign policy and national security matters.  The key finding is that climate change will increasingly worsen risks […]

West Virginia Leads Nation in Infrastructure Flood Risk

A new report issued by the First Street Foundation says that West Virginia’s infrastructure is at high risk from damage by a 100-year flood, one that has a 1% chance of occurring each year.  Climate change is warming the air allowing it to hold more moisture, which causes more frequent and powerful rainstorms.  West Virginia’s […]

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Biden Restores Protections for Migratory Birds

For 100 years, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) has protected nearly 1000 bird species in the United States against being “taken” or killed except under prescribed circumstances. This statute prohibits hunters from intentionally killing birds without a permit, but has also been interpreted by courts and the Interior Department to prohibit incidental taking – […]