[Green] Several things: Survey, and frack-waste barge permit request i

Wed Apr 22 07:33:52 CDT 2020

Thank you very much, Dawn.  I intend to get involved with this and will send an email per your guidelines.  It is okay with me that you are representing the UUGSC.  This needs to be fully illuminated.    Jim Grecni

From: Green <green-bounces at fuusm.org> On Behalf Of Dawn Hewitt via Green
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2020 10:28 PM
To: Green Sanctuary List for Environment Issues <green at fuusm.org>
Cc: Dawn Hewitt <hewitt at earth-maker.com>; Becca Pollard <becca.pollard at sierraclub.org>
Subject: [Green] Several things: Survey, and frack-waste barge permit request i

Friends,

I sent the Sustainable Marietta survey last night. I intended to mail it from the sustainablemarietta at gmail.com <mailto:sustainablemarietta at gmail.com>  email address, but luckily for me, it was sent from the dawnbirder at gmail.com <mailto:dawnbirder at gmail.com>  account and NOT the bwd at birdwatchersdigest.com <mailto:bwd at birdwatchersdigest.com>  account (which is an alias for a gmail account). (I have nine different email addresses. Nine. Some are aliases, and some are forwards to my real accounts. But I’m really, truly, relieved that the survey wasn’t sent from one of my work addresses. Whew!) This morning, there were six responses. I haven’t checked tonight—I have too many other priorities.

Such as: A local company is seeking a permit to build a frack-waste barge unloading facility just south of town, along the Ohio River, near where SR 7 becomes four-lane. The public comment period expires May 6, and there’s no record that the permit application ever appeared in the Marietta Times, although it may have appeared in the Huntington, WV, newspaper because the application was filed to the Huntington District of the Army Corps of Engineers.

If there are no objections, I plan to write a letter to the Army Corps of Entineers’ permitting office, asking to extend the public comment period to provide enough time for Marietta citizens to find out about this proposed facility. And really, there ought to be a genuine, face-to-face public hearing on this, meaning that it shouldn’t be scheduled until public meetings are declared safe. And I would sign this letter on behalf of the GSC.  Is that okay with you?

Also, I plan to write a letter to the editor, signed by me, but maybe stating that I am co-chair of the FUUSM GSC regarding this proposed facility and detailing very good reasons for public concern.

If you would like to get involved, here are some useful links:

Here is the permit application to the Army Corps of Engineers: https://www.lrh.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Public-Notices/Article/2142164/lrh-2020-293-ohr/

               From that permit application note:  "All comments pertaining to this Public Notice must reach this office on or before the close of the comment period listed on page one (1) of this Public Notice [May 6].  If no comments are received by that date, it will be considered that there are no objections.  Comments and requests for additional information should be submitted electronically to Kayla Adkins by email at kayla.n.adkins at usace.army.mil <mailto:kayla.n.adkins at usace.army.mil> .

Here is a sample letter <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GBhyHF0KbhWo4Nq4uxuC8b6ijUDWpK67WOdYtXv39kc/edit?usp=sharing>  requesting an extension to the comment period.

You can use two or three points from the sample or the list below to write a letter to the editor. (Don't forget to make it personal).

Main Points

1. Was there a notice published in the newspaper.

2. The biggest pandemic in 100 years is no time to push through risky permits. 

3. Ohio River is the drinking water source of 5 million people

4. Opens up the community to more oil and gas waste disposal

5. Serious threat to drinking water supplies for  our community and communities down river

6. 6 endangered species

7. One of three permits in a month for the Ohio River

8. Waste could be shipped in from as far away as Texas and Oklahoma.

Big thanks to Becca Pollard and Cheryl Johncox of the Sierra Club for bringing this issue to our attention. Big thanks, too, to Vic Elam and Rebecca Phillips for attending the virtual meeting about this proposal. 

Hugs to you all,

—dawn

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