Environment Story Archives - Page 2 of 8 - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Capito: Rail Safety Bill Will Pass, But Not Until Next Year

Nearly 10 months after a train derailment resulted in a release of toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, Congress has still not moved forward with legislation.

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito says Congress will pass a rail safety bill, but there’s not enough time to do it this year.

Nearly 10 months after a train derailment resulted in a release of toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, Congress has still not moved forward with legislation.

Capito, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, says some areas of disagreement remain on the bill the committee approved earlier this year. She voted no.

With government spending bills on the line, border security, as well as support for Ukraine and Israel, the issue has fallen down the list of lawmakers’ priorities.

Capito says the differences can be worked out and predicts a bill will pass.

“I would say it’s going to be happening,” she said. “It happens next year.”

The Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern derailment was traced to a broken wheel bearing. Thousands were evacuated from the small town near the Pennsylvania border, and emergency response teams from three states came to fight the fire.

The railroad made the decision to vent and burn cars full of vinyl chloride, resulting in plumes of thick, black smoke that darkened the sky. The incident generated nationwide attention, and angry lawmakers brought Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw in front of Congress to testify.

The legislation Congress is considering would require more safety inspections, automated defect detectors, improved training for first responders and notification of hazardous materials shipments to local officials. A provision requiring a minimum crew size of two is part of the dispute. The train in East Palestine had three crew members on board.

Tucker Co. Eighth Graders Take Part In Years-Long WVU Experiment

Since 1989, West Virginia University scientists have been studying the environmental effects of acid rain in the Fernow Experimental Forest in Tucker County. Eighth-grade students will soon get to help.

An experiment 30 years in the making will involve eighth graders from Tucker County in its next phase.

Since 1989, West Virginia University scientists have been studying the environmental effects of acid rain in the Fernow Experimental Forest in Tucker County.

Edward Brzostek, associate professor of biology, said until 2020 scientists were artificially acidifying the forest’s watersheds.

“They were dumping nitrogen and sulfur onto this whole forest and watershed to mimic what was coming out of coal fired power plants and leading to acid rain across the region,” he said.

That phase of the experiment ended in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic caused a lapse in funding and restrictions prevented the continued artificial acidification. Now, Brzostek and his team will track different ecosystems within the forest as they recover.

He says the forest has already proven itself to be a strong training ground for graduate students and can do the same for middle schoolers living in the area.

“One of the things we did in this project is design a number of activities to bring the students out into the field, have them collect real data, have them analyze that data and actually learn about all this science that’s going on right in their backyard that they just aren’t aware of,” Brzostek said.

A recent five-year award from the National Science Foundation’s Long Term Research in Environmental Biology program will support continued study on the topic by WVU, the U.S. Forest Service and local students.

Mountain Valley Pipeline Cost Rises To $7.2 Billion, Completion Delayed

In a filing Wednesday, Equitrans Midstream cited labor conditions as part of the reason the project won’t be completed this year and above the $6.6 billion it previously estimated.

The cost of a controversial natural gas pipeline has gone up and its completion delayed.

The 303-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline will now cost $7.2 billion to finish, and that won’t happen until next year, its builders told the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

In a filing Wednesday, Equitrans Midstream cited labor conditions as part of the reason the project won’t be completed this year and above the $6.6 billion it previously estimated.

Construction resumed on the Mountain Valley Pipeline over the summer after Congress required its completion.

It had been held up in court numerous times as environmental groups and landowners successfully challenged the project’s federal permits.

The Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the remaining cases after lawmakers approved those permits.

Federal Data: Coal Production, Employment Rose Modestly In 2022

Production in West Virginia increased 6.3 percent from 2021 and 3.5 percent in Appalachia. The U.S. total for 2022 came in at just under 600 million tons, a 3 percent increase from 2021.

Coal production in West Virginia, Appalachia and the nation rose modestly in 2022, according to federal data.

West Virginia produced 83 million tons of coal last year, maintaining the No. 2 spot behind Wyoming, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s latest coal report.

Production in the state increased 6.3 percent from 2021 and 3.5 percent in Appalachia.

The U.S. total for 2022 came in at just under 600 million tons, a 3 percent increase from 2021.

The past three years have seen U.S. coal production under 600 million tons, the lowest levels in 50 years. The nation has not produced more than 1 billion tons in a year in almost a decade.

West Virginia coal mine employment rose to nearly 13,000 last year, a 13 percent increase. U.S. coal mine workers topped 43,000 last year, a 10 percent increase.

Appalachian coal employment rose similarly to West Virginia, increasing 13.5 percent over 2021.

West Virginia’s coal-producing neighbors didn’t fare as well. Production in Ohio fell nearly 10 percent, while it fell 6.5 percent in Pennsylvania. Production rose 8 percent in Kentucky and 1.5 percent in Virginia.

The total production in all four states combined roughly equaled West Virginia’s production total.

New Cumberland Manufacturer To Pay Millions In Environmental Violations

A manufacturer in Hancock County will have to pay close to $2 million for environmental violations.

Messer, LLC, an industrial gas manufacturing facility located in New Cumberland, West Virginia, will pay a $1.9 million civil penalty for violations of its Clean Water Act permit and the West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act.

According to court documents, Messer exceeded permit limits when it discharged pollutants into the Ohio River on at least 186 occasions since February 2016.

The company’s EPA permit imposed limits for the discharge of specific pollutants, including copper, aluminum, iron, residual chlorine and phenolics.

In addition to the civil penalty, Messer, LLC must take steps to prevent future violations including the construction of a new treatment system at its New Cumberland facility, implementation of a response plan in the instance of future violations, mandatory internal inspections, and quarterly reporting requirements to federal and state agencies.

A consent decree was entered by the United States District Court on Sept. 11, 2023. Messer, LLC did not admit any liability to the United States or the State of West Virginia arising out of the transactions or occurrences alleged in the complaint.

Virtual Fall Gardening Workshop Explores Mountain State

The arrival of fall might not have most people thinking about gardening, but the members of the Kanawha County Extension Master Gardener Association think it is the perfect time.

The organization is hosting a free virtual workshop called Fall Into Gardening. In a press release, the organization says you can enjoy it from the comfort of your own home or join others at the main Kanawha County Public Library.

The workshop will cover things like what tree to buy so your yard glows orange in the fall, growing vegetables in the winter and a garden near Morgantown with four miles of scenic trails, a butterfly garden and more.

The program is from 9:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Sept. 30. It’s not necessary to register if you plan to attend in person, but you will need to register if you plan to attend virtually.

Registration is open by clicking on the following link: http://bit.ly/FallIntoGardening23Registration

Or, you may call the Main Library at 304-343-4646 ext. 1259 and ask for adult programming librarian Amanda Gibson to learn more details about the virtual workshop, which will be broadcast in Room 311C. Attendees may bring their lunches.

The four speakers are:

Eden Clymire-Stern, Extension Educator at West Virginia State University on how to select a tree for fall color;
John Porter, an Extension leader at the University of Nebraska and former Kanawha County Extension Agent on preparing your garden for winter;
Lewis Jett, a WVU Extension Specialist, on winter vegetables;
Keynote speaker Philip Smith, executive director of the West Virginia Botanic Garden near Morgantown. Smith will lead participants on a virtual visit of the 85-acre park – seven different gardens and several blazed trails located at Tibbs Run Preserve. The nonprofit preserve was founded in 1983 and is open 365 days each year.